As the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution, Philadelphia has the longest history in the nation of celebrating the United States’ birthday. Many veterans attended the city’s Celebration of Freedom Ceremony on July 4 to honor the tradition and history of the United States.
After being suspended in 2020 due to COVID-19, the annual Wawa Welcome America festival returned to Philadelphia to commemorate the Fourth of July, spanning 16 days. It aimed to showcase what independence and freedom mean with programming from museums and events in the city: hoagie giveaways from Wawa, concerts, waterfront performances by the Philadelphia Orchestra, a fireworks finale over the Philadelphia Museum of Art, and more—all for free.
