Delco shows its love for America with a parade that includes a ‘quiet zone’

As the parade passes by no loud sirens will blare and no loud jolting noises will sound, making the parade accessible to people who are sensitive to loud sounds.

Emily Cohen

July 4, 2019

Kids vie for candy that’s thrown by parade marchers at the annual Marple Newtown Fourth of July Parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)

The annual Marple Newtown Fourth of July Parade in Delaware County is an event made for families.

With two miles of prime grassy space alongside its parade route, the route makes a straight path down West Chester Pike to the new Broomall Fire Station. Families took advantage of the beautiful, albeit hot, Fourth of July, to set up their chairs and tents and watch the parade.

But this year there was a new addition to the decades-old parade: a “quiet zone.” For about a tenth of a mile, as the parade passes by, no loud sirens blared and there were no jolting noises. It’s all the fun of a parade, but also made accessible for people who are sensitive to loud sounds.

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Annmarie Sudall is on the planning committee for the Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade. The committee voted unanimously to create a “Quiet Zone” along the parade route after a member of the community showed concern for his grandson who wanted to experience the parade, but couldn’t because of the loud noises from sirens and loud music. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Pa. Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon hands out candy and shakes hands with community members along the route of the annual Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The Sharkey Family recreates a photo taken of the family in 2006. They have been coming to the Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade since their eldest, Bridget, 18 (middle), was born. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The Sharkey Family at the Marple Newtown parade in 2006. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Mallory and Brian Welsh came with their son Michael Patrick, 2, and newborn Grace from Glen Mills, Pa. Mallory says the family chose the Marple Newtown parade because it’s the only parade in Delaware County with a marketed “quiet zone." (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The Pickering Family have been coming to this spot along the parade route since the 1970s. They don’t mind that their spot is now in the quiet zone. They don’t miss the loud sirens, but do miss the band music. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Bora Hila, 6 (center), whose family is from Albania celebrates the Fourth of July at the Marple Newtown parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The O'Brien family from Media decided to come to the Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade specifically because of the quiet zone. With two young kids in tow, including a newborn, parents Jessica and Matt appreciated the inclusion of a quiet zone. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The bike brigade makes their way through the annual Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
The bike brigade makes their way through the annual Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Flag twirlers from the Fusion Marching Band perform for the thousands of people lining the two-mile parade route of the Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Members of the Marple Newtown High School football team walk along the parade route collecting donations to help support the annual Fourth of July parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Africa Gary, 18, of the Marching Cobras dances with her team during the annual Marple Newtown Fourth of July parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Members of South Marple Little League wave and throw candy at the members of their community who have lined up along the two-mile parade route. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)
Anyone in the community is welcome to enter and march in the parade. (Emily Cohen for WHYY)

Last year, a Marple Newtown resident said his grandson wanted to go to the town’s Independence Day parade, but he couldn’t because of all the loud sirens and sounds. After some discussion, the parade committee voted unanimously to create a space along the parade route that would be sensory inclusive.

The families that lined the quiet zone varied. Some purposely sat in the section, while others have been sitting in the same spot along the parade route for years. Parents with young families like the O’Brien and Welsh families, which both have an almost two-year-old and a newborn, came specifically to the Marple Newtown parade because of the advertised quiet zone.

“We have earmuffs for them just in case, but it’s nice to not have to use them and still enjoy the parade,” Mallory Welsh said.

Others like the Barbo and Chester families have been coming to the parade for 8 years and have always set up camp in this spot along the route. They were willing to give the quiet zone a chance.

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“It’s too quiet,” Joe Barbo said. “We miss the music. The lack of sirens is fine. But it’s hard to get into the parade without the music.”

The lack of band music in the quiet zone seemed to be the main complaint, but overall no one was too bothered by the quietness. The lack of loud sirens, on the other hand, was said to be a welcomed benefit of sitting there.

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