For a second straight year, the Red, White, & Blue To-Do comes to Old City to let people start their patriotic celebrating a little early.
On July 2, the festival kicks off with a parade at 9 a.m. and is followed by block party and concerts at museums and attractions around Independence Mall. The event commemorates the day the Continental Congress voted to declare independence from England in 1776, even though the actual document wasn't signed until a couple days later.
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There will be a flag raising at the Betsy Ross House before the parade, which will go from the National Constitution Center to 3rd Street between Chestnut and Walnut streets. The procession includes dance troupes, drill teams and 13 wagon floats decorated with patriotic colors and symbols. The block party will take place on 3rd Street with games, activities and food trucks.
Singers and dancer will perform throughout the day at the Betsy Ross House, Carpenters' Hall, the Museum of the American Revolution, National Constitution Center, Arch Street Meeting House, the African American Museum in Philadelphia, the National Liberty Museum and Elfreth's Alley Museum.
There will also be decoration stations with festive gear at a number of museums and attractions, and local bars and restaurants will have happy hour specials.
Red, White, & Blue To-Do concludes in a Salute to Service concert, which is part of Wawa Welcome America festival. Ahead of LL Cool J. and Jazmin Sullivan's performance later in the week, the War and Treaty will play the Independence Concert Series Stage at 6th and Market streets at 7 p.m. The United States Army Field Band and Soldiers’ Chorus will also perform.
Red, White, & Blue To-Do
Wednesday, July 2
9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Various locations around Independence Mall