Rain dampens but doesn’t delay July 4 fireworks finale

Maybe, some visitors said, the gray skies and impending rain kept the crowds thinner than usual.

Others thought the musical lineup might have had something to do with the smaller audience.

Or, some said, it was the construction on the Parkway.

Still, this is Philadelphia — the country's birthplace, the reason Fourth of July means more than just the date.

A little rain wasn't stopping the party.

"It might be raining, but we're not going anywhere. I'm still having a good time," said Saladin Weens, 39, of North Philadelphia, who came out with his 13-year-old daughter, Nailah.

The two stood on the Parkway by 22nd Street, huddled under an umbrella and enjoying the music.

"The Fourth of July in Philadelphia is the greatest," Weens said. "It means a lot here."

Up and down the Parkway, visitors danced, ate, and sang along in the annual Party on the Parkway and Wawa Welcome America! July 4th Concert. Large screens broadcast the show from the main stage by the Art Museum, small stages and tents showcased local acts, food trucks supplied a steady stream of grub, and entrepreneurial residents hawked water and food and performed for tips.

The show was a little more muted than planned, thanks to rains that intensified through the night: The fireworks went off at 10 p.m. as scheduled, but the Philly Pops canceled its appearance in order to protect its instruments and a recorded medley was used instead. The normally packed crowd was fairly light Monday night, with several thousand people sticking it out for the pyrotechnics display.

"I'm glad they didn't cancel it for the faithful. This is what we came out here for," said David Beats, 34, of Queen Village. "The overcast clouds played a good role."

Police reported no arrests and no trouble.

"All of this means a lot — just the joy of seeing people come together," said Jackelyn Church, 53, of Yeadon. "It's a great environment and great food."

Church and Carol Briggs, 61, of Upper Darby, have been friends for 41 years and try to make it to Philadelphia each year to celebrate the birth of the country.

So do husband-and-wife duo Deedra and Jerome Golden, who began coming in each year from Upper Darby when their kids were young. This year, with the kids in their 20s, the Goldens came alone, staking out a spot in front of a screen and unfolding their lawn chairs.

Even without the rest of the family, they still had to come out: "They got a good lineup so I had to come," said Deedra Golden, 54.

This year's festivities featured East Oak Lane native Leslie Odom Jr., who won a Tony for his portrayal of Aaron Burr on Broadway in Hamilton; retro soul singer Leon Bridges; Yazz the Greatest, the West Philadelphia rapper and actor who plays Hakeem Lyon on the television show Empire; the "Love Train" R&B group the O'Jays; and fellow R&B group Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, the soul group who, with late singer Teddy Pendergrass, were behind "If You Don't Know Me by Now."

"It's old school," said Jerome Golden.

That old-school sound was celebrated all day, when the legendary music producers Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff — the team behind much of the O'Jays' and Blue Notes' success — were honored by Mayor Kenney at the annual Celebration of Freedom Ceremony in front of Independence Hall.

The Philly Pops performed a medley of its hits in a tribute to "The Sound of Philadelphia."

" 'The Sound of Philadelphia,' " Gamble said. "I've always been asked: 'What is the sound of Philadelphia?' And even though the Liberty Bell has a crack in it, that is the sound that was heard all over the world, a sound that speaks of freedom for all people."

Gamble added: "This particular block is the most historical block in the world because it gave birth to the idea of the United States of America, where freedom, justice, and equality was due to everyone."

As an Air Force veteran, MaryAlice Rensa, 63, said the Fourth of July holds particular weight.

"It's a celebration of our freedom," said Rensa, who attended the Parkway event this year for the first time.

"Philly has the Liberty Bell, it was the nation's first capital — I'm proud to be a part of it."

Other veterans were also honored Monday.

At the Celebration of Freedom Ceremony, Kenney presented the inaugural Philadelphia Magis Award for humanitarian deeds and contributions from unsung heroes to the "Edison 64."

Darryrl Johnson, a former technical sergeant in the Air Force, accepted the honor in memory of the 64 graduates of Edison High School who died during the Vietnam War, the largest number of alumni lost during that war from any high school in the country.

"It is a tragic but proud legacy," said Johnson, who recognized a large contingent of Vietnam veterans from Edison in the audience. "Welcome home."

That group included Darral Hairston, 72, a 1963 Edison grad and Army veteran who spent 14 months in Vietnam.

A service is held every year around Memorial Day at Edison High School, but Hairston said Monday's acknowledgment from the city was "the first time we have been recognized like this. I'm so glad we got this award. … It's a long time coming."

The Parkway crowds hit a peak of more than 25,000 earlier in the day, but police said that number dwindled to about 6,500 as the rain intensified.

Sharon Sharpe said she was determined to see the performances through. But the fireworks? Not so big a deal, she said.

"There's always an opportunity to see fireworks," she said.

Several visitors agreed, saying the celebration of the nation's birthday is bigger than fireworks.

Especially in Philadelphia.

"It's definitely a much bigger deal in Philly than it is back home," said Seth Swartzendruber, 19, of Peoria, Ill.

All around, the colors of the flag were everywhere, with stars and stripes emblazoned on hats, shirts, sunglasses, shorts — a wholehearted display of red, white, and blue.

The whole celebration reminded Bruce Butler of a "large carnival."

Butler, 66, wore a matching red, white, and blue flannel outfit with his wife, Eileen, 68. The Fairmount residents usually spend the holiday in England — Bruce hails from just outside London — but Eileen said she likes the friendliness on display in Philadelphia over the weekend.

And for Brianna Sandone, 21, of Toms River, N.J., the celebration was a must for her friend Dominique Jaculli, 22, who is from Australia.

"I had to show my friend what the Fourth of July is like," Sandone said. "And I thought, 'What better place than Philly?' "

jlai@phillynews.com
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@elaijuh

Staff writers Daniel Block, Steve Bohnel, Janaki Chadha, Joseph Darius Jaafari, and Vibha Kannan contributed to this article.