Residents, businesses and groups came out in patriotic style to celebrate the nation’s 249th birthday with a parade and picnic in the park on Friday, July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy North Wales Borough and NWCPA)
Informal talks have also begun on how to enlist the aid of 'Main Street North Wales' with the goal of helping revive and spur traffic to downtown
The upcoming year will be a busy one, and North Wales will have help getting the word out about the town’s events.
Talks are continuing between borough organizers and Visit Valley Forge, a regional nonprofit that promotes events and happenings across the region, including a possible reading of the Declaration of Independence in town on July 4.
“It will be just as it was back in the day — people reading it, all throughout the area,” said borough Manager Christine Hart.
In December, borough council heard from the Valley Forge Tourism and Convention Board, also known as Visit Valley Forge, about how that group promotes regional meetups, marketing events, destination promotions, and more, with a major push planned for 2026 to send those visiting Philadelphia for the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding to other sites across the region.
Since the December presentation, Hart told council this week, Visit Valley Forge staff have met with members of the North Wales Community Project Alliance, the volunteer group behind the town’s annual July 4 parade and other events, including the summer kickoff food truck festival and fall Community Day gatherings. In early talks, Hart told council, the two have come up with a to-do list, and are finalizing plans to have a public reading of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, with a site tentatively chosen and details to be announced once finalized.
Visit Valley Forge members are also planning to tour the town’s Arts and Cultural Center, the former church and adjacent offices at 125 N. Main Street, which could host anniversary-themed events.
“They’re very interested. We’ve asked for a speaker series to take place there throughout the year about history, and they said they want to get it on their tourism site,” said Hart.
A formal membership application has also been shared by Visit Valley Forge with a fee that could be up for council approval in a future meeting.
“I think it’s the best $300 that we could spend, to spread the word,” Hart said.
Members of the Visit Valley Forge group also plan to work with the NWCPA members on how to incorporate July 4-themed twists and themes into the other already-scheduled events.
“All of the events that we typically have throughout the year, that are already on our calendar, we will be adding something to highlight (the 250th),” she said.
Informal talks have also begun on how to enlist the aid of ‘Main Street North Wales,’ the volunteer business association that was resurrected in 2024 with the goal of helping revive and spur traffic to downtown, with early talks focusing on whether that group could help support a farmers market and/or a winter ball, the manager said.
“After we meet again with (Visit) Valley Forge, we’ll be able to share more,” Hart said.
North Wales borough council next meets at 7 p.m. on Jan. 27 at the borough municipal building, 300 School Street; for more information, visit www.NorthWalesBorough.org.
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