Patriotic music filled the air on a beautiful summer evening Aug. 4 as some 4,000 residents gathered in the Delran Community Park and celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States during the “Star Spangled Banner” Freedom Festival.
Originally scheduled for June 27 as part of the events sponsored by the Triple Towns of Delran, Riverside and Delanco honoring the nation’s birthday, the festival had been postponed due to bad weather.
This time around, Mother Nature cooperated. The sun was shining brightly as families filed into the Delran Community Park and received a warm welcome from Uncle Sam’s nephew, Mark Goldstein.
The family-fun event kicked off on stage with the American Bombshells, the female vocal trio modeled after the Andrews Sisters and known as the “Ambassadors of America’s Gratitude,” singing “My Country Tis of Thee,” “American the Beautiful” and “The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B.”
The music continued with outstanding performances by Gabby Prince, Bella Silva, Lee Alverson and Samantha Hutchins thoroughly enjoyed by the crowd sitting in rows of folding chairs set up in front of the stage – and the evening was topped off by a spectacular fireworks display.
“I would say approximately 4,000 people overall attended the festival. The fireworks were amazing and the best we have had in many years,” said Tina Buckley, the Delran Parks and Recreation chairperson, who, along with the Advisory Committee members, organized the festival.
They included Alexa Bogan, Lois Jewell, Melissa Larkin and Rachel Gray, who along with Delran High School volunteers Sean Monterroso, Caroline Horton, Naomi Gangy and Paul Horner handed out festival information as people came into the park under a red, white and blue arch.
“We are celebrating America’s 250th birthday,” said Colonial Lady Sue Huesken of the Delran Historical Society, who along with members Patt Cagliotti, Mal Anderson, Vice President PJ Buzzi, President Greg Boehmke and Trustee Nancy Anderson were enjoying the special evening while distributing pamphlets about the history of Delran Township.
There was plenty to do for the children, like going on the Merry-Go-Round and slides. “We had a carousel mechanical shark and eight bounce houses,” said Buckley, who was thrilled by the turnout and the festival’s success.
To ensure everyone’s safety, the Delran Police blocked off Hartford Road and officers checked the bags of attendees as they walked into the park. Shuttle buses with stops at Summerhill Field, Millbridge Elementary School, the Don Deutsch Field, Holy Cross Prep Academy, the Field of Dreams in Delanco and the Riverside Township building ran every 20 minutes bringing people from the three towns to the fun and patriotic evening.
On June 28, Riverside had hosted a 250th anniversary parade, and later that evening, Delanco hosted a festival at the Historic Waterfront Park along the Delaware River that featured live music by the Legacy Band.
Delran Township was officially incorporated in 1880, and its name is a combination of the Delaware River and the Rancocas Creek. Originally the home of Lenni Lenape Native American tribes, the town evolved from Colonial farmlands into a suburban community.
Riverside was named for a steamboat resort town in 1851 named Progress, and became a manufacturing powerhouse driven by the textile industry and the Philadelphia Watch Case Company, famous for its massive eight-story clock tower.
Delanco started out as a neighborhood in Beverly Township, which was created in 1859. In 1926, residents voted for a referendum to officially establish an independent Delanco Township.
Together, the towns celebrated the 250th anniversary of the United States, the 175th anniversary of Riverside and the 100th anniversary of Delanco with great fanfare. It all concluded with colorful fireworks thrilling attendees as they exploded in the night sky over Delran Community Park.
Uncle Sam’s nephew, Mark Goldstein of Connecticut, waves attendees into the park.
Delran police officers did a great job keeping order at the festival.
Distributing pamphlets about the town are Delran Historical Society members (left to right) Colonial Lady Sue Huesken, Vice President PJ Buzzi, President Greg Boehmke, Trustee Nancy Anderson, Mal Anderson and Patt Cagliotti.
Advisory Committee members (left to right) Alexa Bogan, Lois Jewell and Melissa Larkin and Delran High School volunteers Sean Monterroso, Caroline Horton, Naomi Gangy and Paul Horner welcome attendees.
Organizers Rachel Gray (left) and Delran Parks and Recreation Chairperson Tina Buckley welcome guests to the Triple Towns Freedom Festival at the Delran Community Park on August 4.
