Canonsburg Fourth of July celebration to honor Anthony Colaizzo
Patriots throughout Western Pennsylvania will be placing their chairs long in advance along the parade route for the 57th annual Canonsburg Fourth of July parade.
Among the sea of red, white and blue clothing, you might come across people wearing bow ties and panama hats. This is in tribute to the late Anthony L. Colaizzo, who always wore his signature bow tie and straw hat.
The parade’s founder, Colaizzo, better known as “Mr. Canonsburg,” died in January at 88 after a yearlong battle with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which is a lung disease that causes scarring.
Colaizzo’s son, Anthony Colaizzo Jr., will be out celebrating his father’s memory on Thursday.
“We’re really grateful,” Colaizzo said. “While it is challenging that he has passed, I’m very proud to experience the gratitude that this community has for him.”
Colaizzo Jr. said that some of his father’s family oriented traits have passed on to him.
“We’re a very close family, and he did everything he could to get the best for us,” Colaizzo Jr. said. “He wanted the best for everyone around him. He wanted the best for Canonsburg, and he tried his hardest to get people to stay here.”
Canonsburg Mayor David Rhome believes Colaizzo will be remembered for helping the community through his years of public service.
“He was Mr. Canonsburg, his legacy will live on for years to come,” Rhome said. “He was always working to make things better for others. He wanted people to be safe while celebrating.”
Rhome succeeded Colaizzo as Canonsburg mayor in 2010.
According to the Canonsburg July Fourth website, Colaizzo had the idea for a Fourth of July celebration in 1962 – after his oldest child, Tina, was sick with a fever and halted their annual trip to South Park. While Mr. Canonsburg was taking a walk through town, he noticed something: absolutely nothing was happening.
He was inspired and raised $1,200 for a parade the next year. Since 1963, thousands of people flock to Canonsburg to celebrate Independence Day.
“He did a number of things to help push Canonsburg to what it is today, and the July Fourth celebration is just one of them,” Colaizzo Jr. said.
This Fourth of July celebration is expected to attract 60,000 to 70,000 people, Rhome said.
“You really can’t find this type of excitement anywhere else,” Rhome said. “I think you couldn’t find anything like this coming from a small area. It’s grown to become the second largest celebration in the state. It’s really something else.”
Lt. Gov. John Fetterman will be joining the fun on Thursday. The grand marshal is Capt. Jonathan Kline, the commanding officer at Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads. He was born in Canonsburg and graduated from Canon-McMillan Senior High School in 1990. He graduated from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994.
The 57th annual Canonsburg Fourth of July schedule:
- 7:30 a.m. – 35th annual Whiskey Rebellion 5K
- 9 a.m. – Ringing of church bells to signal opening of ceremonies
- 9:05 a.m. – Remarks at reviewing stand, 25 E. Pike St., by Mayor David Rhome and Canonsburg Fourth of July Committee Chairman Bill Brooks
- 10 a.m. – Parade begins at Cavasina Drive. It will turn west down Pike Street and end at Bluff Street.
- 12 p.m. – 6 p.m. – Family Swim Party. Free park activities such as balloon animals, face painting, rock climbing and inflatables
- 1:30 p.m. – SNPJ Button Box
- 3 p.m. – Tom Terling Band
- 7 p.m. – Doors open at the Canonsburg Memorial Stadium, 1 N. Jefferson Ave.
- 8 p.m. – National Anthem and other selections performed by Ashley Mullens
- 8:30 p.m. – Band “On the Level” performs
- 10 p.m. – Fireworks begin
- Fireworks rain date: Friday, July 5, at 10 p.m.
- The committee invites others to join in on the tribute to the founding father by wearing a bow tie and panama hat.