Bellefonte revives Fourth of July parade for America’s 250th birthday. ‘Truly blessed’
Hundreds of people lined the streets of downtown Bellefonte Friday evening to celebrate the town’s Independence Day parade, the first in several years.
More than 60 groups signed up to participate, with veterans, scouts, dancers and others stepping off at Bellefonte High School and winding toward Talleyrand Park. Along the way, they passed banners dedicated to veterans, police officers and other first responders.
Bellefonte’s “Hometown Heroes” dedication, which the borough typically celebrates on Veterans Day, came early this year. Last fall, Debra Berger of Hometown Hero Banners suggested pairing the biannual ceremony with America’s semiquincentennial.
The motivation for that idea was deeply personal to Berger, whose older brother went missing while serving in Vietnam.
“It’s a mission of love,” she said of Friday’s parade.
Historic Bellefonte, Inc. spearheaded the event, while Downtown Bellefonte Inc. recruited local restaurants and organizations to prepare small dishes for a “melting pot” food tasting. A grant from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau supported advertising, and Logan Fire Company No. 1 directed the parade’s start at Bellefonte High.
Logan Fire Company used to organize Fourth of July parades, but hasn’t done so since at least 2024 because of financial constraints. Bellefonte welcomed the parade’s revival.
“People love parades,” said Dave Provan, who drove Bellefonte Mayor Buddy Johnson and his wife, Jennifer Johnson, through the parade.
Provan noted the event’s resonance with veterans, their families and friends. He recalled his father, who survived the bombing at Pearl Harbor. Johnson, meanwhile, mentioned a high school classmate, Christopher Hill, who was killed while serving.
“There’s not a single time that I see an American flag and I don’t think of him,” he said.
Sitting atop a convertible, Johnson joined a fleet of people in fire trucks, on flatbed trailers and even motorcycles.
A group of around 13 from the U.S. Veterans Motorcycle Club braved the heat in leather vests and camouflaged hats.
“We all served in the desert,” said Doug Sharp, a veteran. “Places where it’s not quite hot yet.”
The extreme heat warning led several groups, including the State College and Bellefonte community bands, who had planned to perform in the park, to cancel. Along the parade route, children flocked to fire trucks as the drivers tossed popsicles into the streets.
Bagpipes played at Talleyrand Park as guests grazed stands with pizza, hot dogs, cupcakes and other snacks. Crowds gathered in the shade as recent high school graduates Thomas Haupt and Julia Weiser read the names of each “Hometown Hero” honored this year.
Thirty-eight new banners, which honor 46 people and cost around $250 each, will be on display in Bellefonte for the next two years. They hang alongside 2024’s banners, which will come down in November.
As Bellefonte celebrated America and those who served it, a sense of patriotism ruled, with speakers expressing pride not only in their country, but also, their community.
“We are truly blessed to live in the best country in the world,” Johnson said. “And have the opportunity to live in the best community in the United States of America.”
As for future Independence Day celebrations, Berger and HBI plan to pass the baton.
“If there is an organization or somebody that wants to pick up doing a Fourth of July parade again, that is all that is up to them,” she said, noting the months of preparation the event required.
This year, however, the event’s organization was a task Berger embraced.
“I feel it to be not only my honor. It’s my duty,” she said.
Celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence continue Saturday in Centre County, with Central PA 4th Fest in State College and fireworks displays in several communities.
