4th of July is a big deal in Philadelphia with visitors coming from all around the world; it's a melting pot of nationalities. Festivities start a few days before the holiday and include tons of performances, parades and a plethora of fireworks. The lead up to the celebration includes great food on Penn's Landing and some great exhibitions at Independence Mall Visitors' Center.
The main event takes place in front of the Philadelphia Art Museum which is called the Party on the Parkway. This party, hosted by Philly's own The Roots, includes a jam session concert with today's hottest stars. It ends with the biggest and brightest fireworks display you could possibly see on a 4th of July. Folks barbecue on the grasses surrounding the Parkway to mark their spot for the fireworks.
There are many spots in the city where you can watch the fireworks if you can't get a spot close to the museum. Come early because the later it gets, the harder it is to get close. Lemon Hill in Fairmount Park provides the best faraway view of the fireworks consisting of a size-able hill that is in the back area by the museum, but, once again, you want to get there early because space can become limited.
This Welcome America celebration is one to definitely be a part of. It's a tradition for the majority of Philadelphia residents. With its huge crowd, it's one of the only times you can see every nationality without any confusion or altercations.
The only hitch about the 4th of July festivities is that once its over, traffic is ridiculous. Cars sometimes are sitting on a given block for half hours to 45 minutes. Regardless of this fact, the July 4th extravaganza that takes place in Philadelphia is well worth experiencing.
