Pennsylvania town cancels Fourth of July parade, citing "unnecessary risk to the community"
For many families, the Fourth of July is a day of picnics, fireworks, and Independence Day parades—but for Whitemarsh Township in Montgomery County, that parade tradition is not happening this year.
Whitemarsh Township officials said they conducted a thorough review of parade safety and concluded that holding the event in 2025 presented an unnecessary risk to the community.
They said the decision to cancel this year's parade was the result of meetings between township staff, police and the emergency management office.
A statement posted on the township's website said leaders came to the decision that holding this year's parade presented an "unnecessary risk to the community." They looked at the personnel and resources it would take to secure not only the parade route, which runs for about a mile from Crescent Avenue and Germantown Pike to Miles Park, but also the surrounding streets and said it does not make sense to move forward with the parade.
Speaking at a meeting last week, the township manager didn't specifically cite what happened on New Year's Day in New Orleans, but he explained that the biggest concern he has about hosting the parade is the potential for a vehicle-ramming terror attack.
"We can't safely have a parade and have everyone feel safe, if we don't do everything that we're looking at for this parade to eliminate any kind of vehicle incursions or anything like that," Whitemarsh Township manager Craig McAnally said.
"Trust me when I tell you that we appreciate the tradition of the parade," Jacy Toll, Whitemarsh Township Board of Supervisors Chair, said. "As I said, we wish there were a better choice. In this case, we don't believe there is."
"Unfortunately, the society we live in today has changed, and what people are willing to do to risk the safety and security of our communities has increased to a point that we never would have imagined," Whitemarsh Police Chief Christopher Ward said in a statement.
McAnally said he looked into getting reinforced road barriers for this year's parade, but they're already being used that day for other Fourth of July events. Ultimately, township officials said this decision came down to the cost to ensure everyone's safety.
They did not provide a price to hold the parade, only saying that safety is their top priority.
