Swarthmore Borough's Independence Day Celebration
There’s a full roster in store for the Fourth in Swarthmore this year! Join in on the annual SRA bike race, the children’s parade, the Boy Scouts and community groups parade, the fire company demonstration and much more!
Schedule of Events
8:15 AM: Bikers will assemble at the corner of Princeton and Park avenues for the Great Bike Race
8:30 AM: SRA Great Bike Race will begin
Helmets required.Race 1 — Boys, 7 years
Race 2 — Boys, 8 years
Race 3 — Boys, 9 years
Race 4 — Girls, 7 years
Race 5 — Girls, 8 years
Race 6 — Girls, 9 years
Race 7 — Boys, 10 years
Race 8 — Boys, 11 years
Race 9 — Girls, 10 years
Race 10 — Girls, 11 years
Race 11 — Boys, 12 & 13 years
Race 12 — Girls, 12 & 13 years
Race 13 — Boys, 6 years
Race 14 — Girls, 6 years
Race 15 — Boys, 5 years (may use training wheels)
Race 16 — Girls, 5 years (may use training wheels)
Race 17 — 4 years (may use training wheels) - Must be 4 years old by July 4
Race 18 — 4 years (tricycle only) - Must be 4 years old by July 4
Race 19 — Boys & Girls, 13+ years
8:30 AM: Silver Dollar Band will start to assemble in front of Borough Hall
8:45 AM: Lions Club Children’s Parade Registration
Borough Hall parking lot. Receive entry number and ribbon. Ten minutes prior to your event’s scheduled start, gather with your group.9:45 AM: Lions Club Children’s Parade
9:45 AM: Pets
9:55 AM: Decorated Tricycles and small Bicycles
10:05 AM: Decorated Bicycles
10:15 AM: Decorated Floats & Baby Carriages
Award presentation will occur immediately after each category in front of the Reviewing Stand
10:00 AM: Parade forms in front of the Co-op
10:30 AM: Parade led by Boy Scout Troop 112, Swarthmore Police.
Other community groups include, but are not limited to:Antique Cars
Swarthmore British Car Club
Swarthmore Senior Citizens Association
Lions Club
Swarthmore Centennial Foundation
Rotary Club
Recycling Committee
Area churches
Please bring sign or banner identifying your organization. Route is Park Avenue to Princeton Avenue, where a police car will guide marching groups back to Borough Hall via sidewalks. Color Guard leads cars back to Co-Op via Lafayette Avenue and proceeds to reviewing stand. Group Marshalls: Jane Billings and Ellen Pierce.10:45 AM: Program
Emcee: Billy Hodges
Estimated starting time depends on the number of participants in earlier activitiesNational Anthem: sung by the Silvertones with the Silver Dollar Band
Pledge of Allegiance: Boy Scout Troop 112
Dismissal of Color Guard: Billy Hodges
Greeting: Marty Spiegel, Mayor of Swarthmore
Swarthmore Recreation Association Volunteer of the Year Award: presented by Colleen Murphy
Rotary Club Community Service Award: presented by President Maria Zissimos
Rotary Club Vocational Service Award: presented by President Maria Zissimos
Swarthmore Centennial Foundation Scholarship Award: presented by Monica Kruse
Theodore L. Purnell Student of the Year Award: presented by President James Ryan
Lions Club Citizen of the Year Award: presented by President Jim Ryan
“America, the Beautiful” sung by the Silvertones
11:15 AM: National Bell Ringing ceremony, Borough Hall. The bell will be rung 13 times by the award winners.
11:30 AM: Swarthmore Borough Independence Day Group Portrait
11:40 AM: Swarthmore Fire Company Fire Demonstration
11:50 AM: FREE Fire engine rides will begin at the reviewing stand
The Lions Club will give out popsicles and American flags in the Borough Hall parking lot12:30 PM: SRA Annual Cris Hansen Town Horseshoe Tournament at Little Crum Creek Park
Doubles with single elimination12:45 PM: Fire Company Water Fight at Umoja Park
Yale & Rutgers avenues
Throughout the morning the Rotary Club will offer free lemonade. The Fire Company will be selling hot dogs and soda from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. In the event of heavy rain, an abbreviated program will be held in the Fire Hall at 10:30 a.m. Please check status at swarthmorerecreation.org