Plans for Pottstown’s 2023 GoFourth! celebration — the community’s yearly, day-long July 4 party — are coming together.

Already planning to lend a hand is the staff of Hobart’s Run, the community advocacy nonprofit organization. But its volunteers hope to inspire others in western Montgomery County to pitch in as well, making this signature event as sparkly successfully as ever.

The task of putting together an event like this is an effort tackled by numerous organizations utilizing the time and effort of dozens of volunteers. The Hobart’s Run staff happily participates but recognizes that its work is only one part of a much greater effort.

The 2023 Edition

The 2023 GoFourth! event has been given a nostalgically retro theme as it recreates the groovy vibe and distinct music of the 1970s.

The specific components of the 2023 edition are:

• The July 4 parade, organized by the Rotary Club of Pottstown, on High Street (Adams to York) at 10:15 AM
• The Pottstown GoFourth! Street Fest at 11:15 AM, settling also on High Street (Penn to York). This afternoon party presents:
  • Live music
  • Local restaurant fare
  • Popular food trucks
  • Samples from local brew pubs and beer gardens
  • The wares of artisans and other vendors
  • Children’s activities
  • Information on the work of area nonprofits that include Hobart’s Run
• A High Street “kids’ zone” play area from Penn to Hanover, offering games and entertainment (Judy Tudy the Clown!). A troupe of reenactors will recreate 17th Century life in a kid-friendly way, meaning an accent on dance, costumes, and even some combat. And an “action-comedy juggler” will be doing his stuff on a unicycle. In response to high demand in prior years, an additional crew of face painters will be on duty
• The Smith Family Plaza in the 100 Block of High Street will be music central. One of the scheduled performers is country music favorite Stephanie Grace, sponsored by Pottstown Parks and Recreation. Grace opened for Taylor Swift on May 14. The sound for all these tunes comes through the courtesy of Montgomery County Community College’s Sound Recording and Technology Department
• The Rotary Duck Race floats off at 3:00 PM at High and Hanover Streets; this event also raises funds for area nonprofits
• As the afternoon begins to wane, party-goers will drift to Memorial Park (74 W. King Street) where they’ll find more food and entertainment to pass the time until full dark
• At 9:30 PM, the skies over Pottstown will blaze to life in fireworks

Getting Involved

Community and commercial organizations wanting to hop aboard this first-rate community event can visit the GoFourth! website for sponsorships. Vendors can still hop aboard through email contact. And there’s a GoFourth! online volunteer form as well, eager to take sign-ups from locals willing to donate time.

A Benefit to Pottstown

Amy Francis, GoFourth! co-chair, emphasized that the downtown location has been a big hit, in part because it helped to recognize and drive traffic to Pottstown’s growing number of small businesses.

“Pottstown is enjoying a real reputation right now as a fun place with a lot of family-friendly events going on every weekend,” Francis said.

“Street Fest and our other July 4 activities will spotlight Pottstown’s ongoing revitalization and allow Borough families and visitors alike to celebrate our beautiful hometown,” Francis concluded.

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Here’s a look at a prior edition of the GoFourth! celebration.