Canonsburg welcomes back Fourth of July parade
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Chairs line Pike Street in Canonsburg as residents prepare for the annual Fourth of July parade Saturday morning.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Chairs line Pike Street in Canonsburg as residents prepare for the annual Fourth of July parade Saturday morning.
Katie Anderson/Observer-Reporter
Chairs line Pike Street in Canonsburg as residents reserve their spots for the annual Fourth of July parade Saturday morning.
Courtesy of Jennifer Shinshasky
Jennifer Shinshasky and her father, Tom Shinshasky, are working together this year as chairperson and co-chairperson of the Fourth of July Celebration committee in Canonsburg.
CANONSBURG – The sidewalk along Pike Street in Canonsburg was already lined with chairs as early as Wednesday in preparation of the return of the borough’s iconic Fourth of July parade on Saturday.
As is tradition, residents began reserving sidewalk space by setting chairs out in advance.
“Everyone’s very excited,” said Jennifer Shinshasky, chairperson for the Fourth of July committee. “I’ve heard so many people say, ‘Thank you for doing it this year,’ and ‘We can’t wait.'”
Last year, the committee had to make the difficult decision to cancel the parade and annual celebrations due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“As a committee, it was devastating to us because a lot of us are second generation,” she said. “We grew up with this, and we’ve never had a cancellation like last year. We promised we’d come back in January and start planning just like we’ve always done. We feel we’re coming back bigger and better.”
This year, the 58th annual celebration will be held on July 3, out of respect for the borough’s church communities, as the holiday falls on a Sunday. This year’s celebration holds special meaning to Shinshasky, as it’s her first time serving as chair of the committee. Her father, Tom Shinshasky is her co-chair.
“It’s the first time in the history of the committee that there’s been a father-daughter co-chairing,” she said. “So it’s a little extra special to me this year.”
Shinshasky has been involved in the committee 35 years, as she started when she was 12 years old.
“It was such a big celebration in Canonsburg,” Shinshasky said. “My brother and I would watch our dad do it, and we would just kind of hang around with him as he got things ready. It’s something we’ve always done together.”
Her brother, Jeff Shinshasky, also is involved as co-chair with Bethany Ludwin of the parade itself.
Jennifer Shinshasky said the committee’s previous chairperson, Bill Brooks, recently decided to retire from the position after more than 50 years on the committee. He worked many years with longtime committee member Fran Churney, who will also be honored during this year’s celebration.
Churney, who died last year, created the “That’s All Folks” sign that appears on the pickup truck that marks the end of the parade each year. His family will be in the parade, Shinshasky said.
Another honoree is the parade’s founder, Anthony L. Colaizzo, who died in 2019. The Colaizzo family will be sponsoring the fireworks finale this year to honor their father’s memory.
“My father started this many, many years ago because of his passion for the town and his wanting to give people something to enjoy,” said Anthony Colaizzo Jr. “We thought it would be valuable to keep his name and passion alive. This was his commitment to the town, and we want to continue that legacy moving forward.”
That fireworks display will be bigger than prior years, Shinshasky said, with Canonsburg Memorial Stadium opening at 9 p.m. There won’t be food trucks or entertainment, however, as their planning began when COVID-19 restrictions were still in place.
The celebrations will begin at 7:30 a.m. with the 37th annual Whiskey Rebellion 5K. Mayor David Rhome and Jennifer Shinshasky will give opening remarks at 9 a.m. at the reviewing stand in front of Salandra Funeral Home on Pike Street. The parade will begin at 10 a.m.
Canonsburg Town Park will have free activities and the pool will have free admission from noon to 6 p.m. The fireworks will start at 10 p.m.
In a statement on their flyer, the committee wrote a “welcome back” note to the community and thanked them for continued support.
“Despite the looming threat brought on by COVID-19, we continued to work,” the flyer reads. “Motivated by the strength of community, our committee has put together new units for the parade, a bigger, bolder fireworks display and a renewed commitment to our citizens.”