The Parade starts at 9:30 am at the High School.
The route is Harristown to Highland, Rock – down to the Rock, and right onto Doremus.
Thank you to the Borough of Glen Rock for providing police support to keep the parade route safe for all!
July 3rd Pops Concert
The Glen Rock Pops Orchestra will open the Independence Day celebration on Monday, July 3 with a free concert on the lawn of Borough Hall at 7:00 pm.
Grand Marshal
This year’s Grand Marshals is the Perry Family celebrating 70 years of Perry’s Florist. Perry’s has been a staple of Glen Rock and has been a generous member of our community.
Participate
There is still time to participate! you can participate by decorating your bike, wagon, scooter, or stroller. You can also get together and have a group walk – build a float! There are simple ideas. To participate: fill out this form. Or email us at: [email protected]
About Us…
Welcome to Glen Rock’s 4th of July Parade! The parade was started in 1938 by a group of concerned Glen Rock residents. They were concerned about injuries caused by fireworks and highway injuries due to holiday travel, fatigue, and possible drinking.
The Glen Rock IDA was incorporated on May 2nd, 1939. The purpose of the IDA is:
“To discourage the general public use of fireworks and firearms, and to foster and stimulate a patriotic spirit and sentiment in citizens and children of the Borough of Glen Rock, NJ, and in the vicinity thereof by observing Independence Day, July Fourth, in a fitting manner, the same to be accomplished by parades, parents, mass meetings, bazaars, games, sports, fireworks, and other suitable and appropriate observances, and in general to do all things in connection with the foregoing that may be necessary and expedient to promote a safe, sane and patriotic observance of July Fourth”
Pops Concert
Bring your lawn chairs and blankets and celebrate America’s birthday through music on the lawn at Borough Hall on Wednesday, July 3, at 7:00 PM. Rain date is July 4.
Join with the Pops and the Independence Day Committee in recognizing the Perry Family, owners of the florist and garden center in Glen Rock as Grand Marshals of the Fourth of July Parade, and their 70 years of service to the community.
Pops Music Director Anthony LaGruth has designed a wonderful program for everyone to enjoy. Celebrate with marches, patriotic songs, and ballads. The winning raffle tickets, supporting the IDA (Glen Rock Independence Day Association) will be pulled at the performance. Tickets can be purchased in town at various locations.
Happy Birthday, America!!!
Grand Marshals
On July 4th, 1954 , Walter Perry Jr. pulled up to the current entrance of Perry’s Florist. After finalizing the purchase of the property he had to take a scythe out of the trunk to cut down the weeds so he could pull into his new business which had been abandoned for four years. Prior to being abandoned, the former owners of the property Walter had bought, the Thurston Family, were pioneer florists in Bergen County. Having multiple groups of greenhouse, including the ones that are still in use at Perry’s Florist, the property spanned from Harristown Road back to the border of Fair Lawn from the Perry’s property to the Bergen Line train tracks. The Thurstons grew flowers that were mostly sent to the flower markets in New York City with some production staying right here in Bergen County. One of the Thurstons, Anthony, served for the Union in the Civil War.
In the early years of Walter’s business he grew snapdragons and tomatoes to make ends meet. In 1960 he commissioned Carl Kemm Loven, a famous Glen Rock native architect known for his Disney-style “castle” homes and detailed dutch colonials, to design the A-Frame for the retail business and in the same year married Marcia Williams. Fun Family Story, Marcia and Walter met after Walter had planted forsythia on the property line. Marcia was tasked with weeding the family’s new house when Walter caught her pulling out his newly planted bushes. After a tense exchange, Walter felt bad and brought her flowers as an apology and the rest is history. In 1961 the A-Frame was completed as well as the newly married couple welcoming their first child, Walter Perry III as well as a second son, George Perry two years later.
After a large fire in 1969, two days before Thanksgiving, a second modification to the retail flower store was built as well as welcoming their third son, Edward Perry in 1971. The business continued as a wholesale and retail florist through the 1970s and into the 1980s.
The early 1990s the greenhouse production changed from wholesale cut flowers to garden flats and plants. Instead of growing fields of babies’ breath and carnations outside and benches of chrysanthemums in the greenhouse production transitioned to garden mums in the fields and garden annuals and perennial for retail sale in the greenhouses. In the late 1990s the Perry Family grew again with Wallter III and his wife Joanne welcoming a son, Daniel Perry and a daughter, Sarah Perry. Upon the passing of Walter Perry Jr. in 2007, his sons and wife continued operating the business to date.
The Perry Family has been involved in many organizations throughout the years in Glen Rock and Bergen County. Members of the family have been involved in the following organizations – The Glen Rock Volunteer Fire Department, Kiwanis, Rotary Club, Glen Rock Chamber of Commerce, Glen Rock Central Business District Commission, Borough of Glen Rock Business Commission, the Bergen Community College
Horticulture Programs Advisory Board, Bergen County Agricultures Executive Board, and Glen Rock Assistance Council and Endowment.
The business has been successful being chosen Best of Bergen many years as well as runner up for many years as well thanks to the wonderful residents of Glen Rock, the surrounding communities, and much love from many border collies. We hope to serve current and future customers for many years to come.
