(Haddon Township, NJ) – On Tuesday, the Board of Commissioners joined Haddon Township Mayor Randy Teague, Haddonfield Mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich and members of the Philadelphia Mummers String Band Association to promote the upcoming inaugural string band parade that will be held on Saturday, April 29.
“We are thrilled to bring the magic of the Philadelphia Mummers over the bridge to Camden County,” said Commissioner Director Louis Cappelli Jr. “This will be an exciting event that will not only stimulate our local economy but will provide some fun for our residents and their families. We expect the String Band Parade to become a staple here in our community for years to come.”
The event will feature food, games and music from 15 participating string bands that will perform in a parade down Haddon Avenue.
“The Philadelphia Mummers Parade has a rich history here in the region as it’s the oldest continuous folk parade in the nation, dating back to 1901,” said Sam Regalbuto, president of the Philadelphia String Band Association. “Our organization is so excited to bring this wonderful tradition over to Camden County and put a new spin on something that so many of us from the Philadelphia/South Jersey area hold near and dear to our hearts.”
After the parade ends string bands will continue to play outside sponsored establishments throughout Haddon Township. This daylong event will continue to highlight the county as a destination and deliver a boost to the local economy.
“Haddon Township and its surrounding communities are bustling with exceptional local businesses who rely on events like the string band parade to bring in revenue,” said Haddon Township Mayor Randy Teague. “We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the parade as we expect it to attract thousands of people who will in turn dine, shop and visit our local small businesses.”
Haddonfield Mayor Colleen Bianco Bezich shared similar sentiments.
“Camden County and its municipalities have so much to offer, and the String Band Parade will give us a much-needed boost in tourism and business traffic,” Bianco Bezich said. “Aside from the economic benefits, this will be a new tradition that will give us all the opportunity to have some fun with our friends and family.”
The press conference was held at the Haddon Township PATCO Station to promote the use of public transportation for the parade.
“What makes this event even more exciting is that PATCO and other forms of public transportation is readily available so everyone can get to and from the parade safely,” Commissioner Jonathan Young said. “We are at a great advantage here in Camden County because we have a high-speed train line that can get us from one end of the county to another in just a couple of minutes so please consider taking public transportation to Saturday’s event.”
Title sponsors for the parade include Shop Haddon, Brewers Towne Tavern and 1st Colonial Bank. Performance sponsors include PJ Whelihans, Central Taco, The Pour House, Treno, Keg & Kitchen, Severino’s Pasta and Tom Fischers Tavern.