Philadelphia was set to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary with a parade on Friday, but it was canceled because of expected high temperatures. Welcome America Inc. shared the decision through a post on X. The city of Philadelphia confirmed the cancellation, citing the extreme heat as the reason.
“Due to the extreme heat, the Salute to Independence Semiquincentennial Parade is canceled,” the announcement stated.
Weather predictions for Friday indicated that temperatures could reach 104° at Philadelphia International Airport. This would be the highest temperature recorded there since July 3, 1966, according to the National Weather Service Philadelphia/Mount Holly.
City Health Commissioner Palak Raval-Nelson extended the ongoing “Heat Health Emergency” up to 8 p.m. on Sunday, as stated by the city’s Department of Public Health.
The parade had planned to feature floats and marching bands. Michael DelBene, President and CEO of Welcome America Inc., mentioned in a statement that the safety of people comes first.
“As much as this decision pains everyone inside our organization, we simply cannot host an event of this size and scale under these dangerous heat conditions,” DelBene stated in a statement to Fox News Digital.
The cancellation was a disappointment for Todd Marcocci, Under the Sun Productions, and the parade groups that had invested significant effort in preparing for the event. Despite large celebrations being part of the mission, safety is the top priority for everyone involved.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
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