Children race at a July 4th celebration at the Water Tower in 1956. (Photo courtesy of Chestnut Hill Historical Society)

by Brendan Sample

After nearly a century of festivities, the Chestnut Hill Fourth of July parade is set to celebrate its 100th anniversary on Monday.

The event has gone through several generations in the community since its inception, but it has still managed to remain a staple in Chestnut Hill that brings out hundreds of people.

The parade begins at 9 a.m. at Hartwell Lane and Devon Street, and a morning of activities and a free lunch continue at the Water Tower Recreation Center, Hartwell Lane and Winston Road, until 12:30 p.m.

While the parade has had an extensive history with the neighborhood, its current sponsor, the Chestnut Hill Bocce Club, has been involved for less than half of that time. Beginning its sponsorship about 35 years ago, the club has remained the planner of the parade ever since, and it intends to continue bringing families together for the centennial.

“As high as 2,000 people attended the parade when I first started with the club, and we’re expecting about 1,000 this weekend,” said Frank “Stretch” Hendrie, chairman of fundraising and a former president of the Bocce Club. “It’s a big, family-friendly event, and there are also a lot of people who grew up in the area that come back.”

Going back to when the Bocce Club first took over the Fourth of July celebration, Hendrie recalled that the organization initially got involved simply to continue the tradition of the annual parade.

“We first saw in one of the newspapers the idea of it being stopped, and so the Club raised around three or four thousand dollars to prevent that from happening,” said Hendrie.

In terms of the specific events that will go on during the parade, there won’t be much that’s different this year to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Aside from a commemorative pin, the festivities will be largely the same as what they have been in previous years. This will include a petting zoo, magic show, face painting and moon bounce, as well as the children’s parade with decorated bikes and wagons of all kinds.

In addition to being a longstanding tradition of Chestnut Hill, the celebration also holds the distinction of being the second-oldest Independence Day parade in the Philadelphia area. It’s second only to Lawncrest's Fourth of July celebration, which was first held in 1904.

While there is certainly plenty to do for people of all ages during the festivities, the parade remains a way to kickoff the Fourth of July instead of being an all-day celebration.

“It’s a quality event, and there’s still enough time for people to go out to barbeques and such with their families afterwards,” Hendrie said.

JULY 4th at the Water Tower Schedule

9 a.m. Decorated bikes, wagons and float parade will meet at Hartwell Lane and Devon Street. Judges will award prizes to the best decoration efforts in numerous categories. The parade will begin after a 4th of July salute by Tom Woodruff and a rendition of the National Anthem.

10 a.m. After the parade, children can meet in the ball fields behind the Water Tower Recreation Center for races and other events. Entertainment will include free face painting, balloons, pony rides, clowns a moon bounce and a petting zoo.

11 a.m. Free lunch consisting of hot dogs, juice and ice cream cups.

11:30 a.m. Live magic show.