There was a festive atmosphere in the air along Fairview Street on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon, June 28, as parade participants lined up in the Dollar General parking lot next to Delran VFW Post 3020 getting ready to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America.
At noon, the post’s Color Guard started the patriotic parade that made its way to downtown Riverside and delighted hundreds of people lined up along Fairview Street, Pavilion Avenue and Scott Street.
They enjoyed Mummers tunes played by the Riverside String Band, Revolutionary War reenactors and colorful floats with plenty of United States and 250 years flags, and cheered as the fire engines blared their sirens.
The youngsters especially enjoyed collecting the candy treats distributed by many of the 30-plus groups and organizations as the parade made its way to Scott Street to Monument Park, where members of the Riverside Historical Society gave a short presentation about the founding in 1851 of Progress and then launched its new “History Hunt & Tour”.
Initially the parade had been scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 27, as part of the Triple Towns of Delran, Riverside and Delanco’s celebration of America’s 250th birthday when the Continental Congress approved and adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776.
However due to rainy weather it was postponed to Sunday, and Delran’s “Freedom Fest: A Star Spangled Spectacular” on Saturday evening was postponed and re-scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 4.
That celebration will begin at 3 p.m. in Community Park on Hartford Road featuring live music, family activities and a fireworks display at nightfall. Shuttle buses to Delran will be available in Riverside and Delanco for people to attend.
The Triple Towns festival began on Friday night, June 26, and also celebrated Riverside’s 175th anniversary and Delanco’s 100th anniversary. The opening ceremony in Riverside featured family fun and activities on Friday evening on Scott Street, between the Firehouse and the Police Station.
It featured a bounce house, karaoke and giveaways for the children, a beer garden at the firehouse, a movie for families and refreshments provided by local Boy Scouts and Explorers.
The Triple Towns festival concluded on Sunday, June 28, with a community festival along the Delaware River in Delanco. The patriotic celebration was at the Historic Waterfront Park and featured live music by the Legacy Band, family activities, games for children and a variety of local food trucks.
Despite the rainout of the parade and Freedom Fest on Saturday, June 27, residents celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States on Sunday, June 28, and can look forward to continuing that celebration on Tuesday, August 4, at Delran’s Community Park.
A woman on a colorful float enjoys greeting the crowd.
A family enjoys the sights and sounds of the parade as the children take a break from collecting candy thrown by people on the floats.
Waving to the crowd wearing Colonial era clothing are members of the Riverside Historical Society, including Alice Smith.
Smiling brightly on a beautiful Sunday June 28 at the start of the Delran, Riverside and Delanco patriotic parade celebrating the 250th Anniversary of the United States are Delran Green team members Debbie Hammond (left to right), Al Carp and Monica Francesconi.
A dragon roars on a flag-draped float.
The Delran VFW Post 3020 Color Guard leads the parade from their post home on Fairview Street
