Philadelphia area cutting back on Fourth festivities

East Goshen has scrapped its annual concert and fireworks display. Parades in Willingboro and Moorestown have been dropped. And organizers of Philadelphia's Welcome America festival have canceled their free movie.

Across the region, some July Fourth festivities have been cut or curtailed because of the recession. But for most Independence Day revelers, the show must go on - and go on unchanged.

"Things have changed tremendously," said Helen Bowes of the Lansdowne Union Athletic Association, whose annual parade and fireworks - at an estimated cost of $28,000 - were kept alive by funds from local organizations.

"You don't want to make too many cuts," she said. "Because once you begin to cut your fireworks program, people don't want to come back."

Frank Vatillano is hoping that won't be the case in East Goshen.

Vatillano, director of recreation for the Chester County township, said he expected the community would save about $15,000 by canceling the fireworks and concert.

"Our revenues are a little down, and we just don't feel that we want to spend the money," he said. "I think people understand with the way the economy is this year."

In Moorestown, where a private committee runs the annual event, the July Fourth parade and festival have been canceled because of budget constraints, said Jef Harding, committee chairman. Harding cited a lack of funds and volunteer hours as reasons for the cancellation.

Willingboro was going to cancel its celebration because of a lack of funds, but a private group of businesses and residents raised about $6,000 for a replacement celebration.

The improvised party will include a pie-eating contest, pony rides, and barbecue cooking. But not enough was collected for a parade or fireworks display, committee organizer Wayne Brown said.

Canceling the parade will save Willingboro $75,000 to $85,000, Councilman Jim Gray said.

"It was either that or laying off people," Gray said, "and we decided that laying off people would be more detrimental to the community."

In Center City, the annual Sunoco Welcome America festival still will feature fireworks on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and free concerts by Sheryl Crow and the Roots. But organizers had to make some changes, such as canceling the free July 4 movie, relocating the parade route to historic Philadelphia, and moving the concert stage from the steps of the Art Museum to Eakins Oval.

That is all of a couple of hundred feet - anything to cut costs without cutting corners.

"We understand about the economy and looked at everything we possibly could to save money," said Melanie Johnson, Welcome America city representative.

"Sponsors have been more scarce," Johnson said. "But there's still no better place to have the Fourth of July than Philadelphia."

In Bucks County, Victoria Bowe, chairman of Newtown's First Fourth Celebration, which features a parade, a fair, and fireworks, said she had seen "a decrease in the number of sponsors and the dollar amount the sponsors are giving."

Newtown had to commission a less expensive fireworks company to avoid being charged a premium, she said. Because July 4 falls on a Saturday, many communities are treating it as a one-day-only event, closing the window for suppliers and raising the price of putting on a show. Usually, the Saturday before or after the Fourth is a date for additional celebrations.

Still, most municipalities have found ways to keep their traditional events intact. Upper Darby again will offer fireworks and a Sousa band on July 3. And Norristown, with the help of local donors, has even enlarged its celebration to include a town parade.

In many cases, the recession has actually increased turnout at local festivals, with attendees less willing to absorb the cost of traveling long distances on the holiday.

Chester County's annual Freedom Fest had bigger crowds last year, and organizers anticipate the same in 2009, said Jessica Cirillo, county Parks and Recreation program coordinator.

"Last year we saw a surge in attendance because of gas prices, because of people staying closer to home," she said.

Popular Independence Day sites such as the National Constitution Center and the Spirit of Philadelphia cruises report no changes from events in years past.

And in Willingboro, as elsewhere, local donors have refused to let the recession snuff out their fun.

"We're trying to continue the celebration of America's birthday," Brown said, "but just in another way."