What to expect from this year’s Glenside 4th of July parade: Eclectic performances, Bill Hall tribute, Grand Marshal John Rohrer, road closures & more

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June 30th, 2024 | By Ryan Genova

The 121st Glenside 4th of July Parade will feature musical, marching and entertainment groups from seven states and one Central American country—New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Virginia, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Honduras—on Thursday afternoon.

The parade, which is sponsored by the non-profit Greater Glenside Patriotic Association (GGPA), will cover a 1.5-mile route through the heart of Glenside beginning at 4:00pm.

Extracurricular events include a Children’s Morning Program at Renninger Memorial Park at 10:00am followed by an “America the Beautiful Aerial Fireworks Spectacular” held at Abington Junior and Senior High Schools after dark.

Performers will lay out a variety of sounds and styles: The New York Skyliners Drum & Bugle Corps, the Chorotegas Latin Band (Honduras), the Segway Riders Club of The Villages (Florida), and the South Philadelphia String Band, to name a few.

“We have three drumlines from Philadelphia. It’ll be an eclectic parade, that’s for sure,” Jamey Piggott, president of the Greater Glenside Patriotic Association, said. “The highlight is always working with Abington and Cheltenham townships. The hard work they put in ensures that we have a fun, and more importantly safe, day.”


The Phillie Phanatic, donned by Jenkintown native Tom Burgoyne, and Bucks Bubbles’ foam machine will be on hand as well, along with a special promotion for the recently approved Glenside St. Patrick’s Day parade and festival.

“We want to make sure we put a spotlight on the community,” Piggot said. “We especially want to thank the Weldon Fire Company who are going to hang a large American flag on the corner of Easton and Keswick.”

The flag will be especially nostalgic in light of longtime coordinator Bill Hall’s passing in April. According to Piggot, Mr. Hall had requested the flag hanging for years.

“It was approved before he passed. He was very happy about it,” Piggot said. “It’s significant and somber. He loved to put on a show, and this year is no exception. I’m looking forward to driving his wife, Carol, along the parade route. We’re going to stop at the Keswick/Easton flag and then we’ll drop her off to watch the parade her husband put so much effort into over the years.”

Mr. Hall was in his 27th year as the parade’s coordinator

Today an Abington Township resident and parade participant gave Mr. Hall a nod in an op-ed for the Delaware Valley News:

This year we want our participation to be our expression of thanks to Bill Hall for his hard work for 27 years (sadly passing as he began working on #27). I am sure Bill would agree with me here; Thank you for your patriotism and great support of the parade and fireworks, he truly loved making it so great for everyone.

John Rohrer, Glenside native and longtime Deputy Chief with the Edge Hill Fire Company, has been appointed Grand Marshal.

“It’s a big honor. I’ve been in the parade as a fireman probably 40 years now,” Rohrer said, adding that his time with Edge Hill spanned from 1976 until his retirement in 2023.


“I’ve been working for Abington Township for the last 15 years as a fire inspector. I retired as their Fire Marshal last year,” he said. “I have thousands of fond memories. The floods in 1996 were big. When you have 10 feet of water on a side street, that’s gonna stay with you.”

Rohrer honored upon his retirement in January 2023
Rohrer, fourth from the left, in 2014


“We’re truly honored to have Fire Marshal Rohrer serve as our Grand Marshal. He continues the legacy and heritage of it being a firefighter’s parade,” Piggot said.

Abington Township has provided road closures and parking restrictions for Thursday:


Abington Police & Emergency Management estimated that last year’s three-tiered event drew spectator turnouts of 20,000+, the most of any year on record. A full recording of last year’s parade, along with a sampling of photos, can be found below:


To donate to the Greater Glenside Patriotic Association, you can visit glensideparade.com or mail a check to Greater Glenside Patriotic Association, P.O. Box 72, Glenside, PA 19038.

For updates and more information, you can visit the Glenside Parade’s Facebook page.

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Photos: GGPA, Abington Township, the Rohrer family