FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Matt Maisel
Director of Communications, City of Harrisburg
(717) 255-7295
[email protected]
HARRISBURG – Nearly 50 food trucks will line Front Street on Tuesday, July 4 as the City of Harrisburg celebrates Independence Day with delicious food, awesome fireworks, and family fun for the entire day.
The July 4th Food Truck and Fireworks Festival is returning to Riverfront Park. Beginning at 1 p.m. and lasting until 9 p.m., families will be able to enjoy a diverse selection of food truck favorites which have become Harrisburg festival and Central Pennsylvania staples, plus some first-timers. Adults will also have the opportunity to sample selections from a beer and wine garden.
In addition, there will be six musical acts on the Capital Blue Cross Live Music Stage located in Riverfront Park between State and Forster Streets: Marrisa Porter, Burden of Proof, Mack Berry Band, Soul Miners Union, D-Bo!, and Vinyl Groov. A full schedule of all performances is available on the July 4th Food Truck Festival event guide, available for download here.
Families with small children can make a pit stop at the free Kids Zone, located between Walnut and Market Streets. Children can have their face painted, have balloon animals, and perform arts & crafts all day long. In addition, families can interact with insects and other critters, watch a magic show with The Amazing Magi, and character visits from your child’s favorite superhero.
City Island is also a short walk over the Walnut Street Walking Bridge, where children can ride the railroad, tee up for a round of Water Golf, play at the Harbortown Playground, or hop aboard the Pride of the Susquehanna Riverboat.
“The 4th of July is when Harrisburg shines, and this festival which brings in tens of thousands of people to the city is one of our crowning moments of the year,” said Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams.
The annual fireworks display, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, is slated to launch from the tip of City Island around 9:15 p.m., and last for 15 minutes. Produced by Bixler Pyrotechnics, the show is one of the largest in Central Pennsylvania and will include more than 2,000 shells. There will be additional police presence, with an increase in both uniformed and plain-clothed officers, during the entire festival and fireworks show.
New to the festival this year is the Shop Local vendor area, where local artisans and craft businesses will offer specialty foods, crafts, and other merchandise. It is located next to the Civic Club at Forster Street.
“Whether you’re in Uptown or Elizabethtown, Allison Hill or Camp Hill, and all points in between, we urge everyone to come happy and hungry, and ready to have a great time,” Mayor Williams said.
Lastly, one of the great Independence Day traditions will continue at the John Harris-Simon Cameron Mansion, with the 12th annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Readings at 4 p.m., 6 p.m., and a special candlelight reading at 8 p.m. will be done by John Harris, Jr., portrayed by reenactor David Biser.
Street parking is free during the July 4 holiday. City Island parking will cost $5, and discounted $10 parking is available at the Market Square Garage from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. courtesy of Park Harrisburg. There will also be handicapped parking available on State Street, and free bike parking courtesy Recycle Bicycle will be available at Walnut Street.
Front Street will remain closed by Forster to Walnut from 9 a.m. to Midnight on July 4, and the Market Street Bridge will close westbound from 6:30 p.m. to Midnight.
Renewal By Andersen, Green Mountain Energy, T-Mobile, and Sundance Vacations serve as the primary event sponsors; Visit Hershey & Harrisburg and Explore HBG are the marketing sponsors; the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency is the fireworks sponsor; Capital Blue Cross is the music stage sponsor; and Catherine Hershey School and The Bridge Eco-Village are the Family Fun Zone sponsors.
