Now that we’re officially in the year of America’s Semiquincentennial, celebration planning is going into high gear. Middletown America 250 and Monmouth NJ 250 have announced plans to partner on “Red, White & You!” a birthday parade and America's Big Birthday Festival set for Sunday, June 28.
The date coincides with the anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth, a key moment in the fight for liberty. It will also highlight Monmouth County history and its contributions not only to the cause of the Revolution, but to the evolution of the United States over the past 250 years.
The partners are inviting parade participants to join in the celebration of America’s birthday and Monmouth County’s unique history and communities by incorporating visual elements, musical and artistic selections, and costumes that invoke the spirit of this once-in-a-lifetime Semiquincentennial celebration. The route will be 2.3 miles beginning at the train station, north on Church Street, right on Kings Highway, left on New Monmouth Road, left on Cherry Tree Farm Road and right into Mater Dei Park. Potential parade participants must fill out an application by March 30.
They note: We hope that this parade will have a magnificent display of vibrant floats, live performances, marching bands and community organizations, and plenty of red, white and blue. It will be a tribute to our communities, our county and our great nation, highlighting the three themes of our MonmouthNJ 250 celebration of America’s Semiquincentennial:
- Patriotism for our country.
- Pride in our communities.
- Participation in the celebration.
The parade will be followed by America’s Big Birthday Festival, running from 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. at Mater Dei Park, also in Middletown.