Thousands Pack Sycamore For Another Successful Newtown Welcome Day

NEWTOWN, PA —The sights and sounds of Welcome Day filled the streets of Newtown on Sunday as the community celebrated the “18940.”

From Jefferson Street to Durham Road, thousands enjoyed a day filled with live entertainment, more than 150 vendors, and plenty of food on a very crowded Sycamore Street.

Yes, it was on the warmer side, but a refreshing açaí bowl from Playa Bowls helped take the edge off the heat.

There were also some cool tunes filling the air, including "an awesome" performance of AC/DC’s "Thunderstruck" - on the Bagpipes - by Shamrock Shenanigans.

A member of Shamrock Shenanigans playing the Bagpipe.

Giving a big thumbs-up to Welcome Day are, from left, Bill Sheffer, NBA President Dave Marcolla, Newtown Borough Mayor John Burke, Newtown Township Supervisor Elen Snyder, event co-chairs Leah Patterson and Fred Poritsky, Dan Petty and District Judge Mick Petrucci. Not pictured: event co-chair Heather DiPrato.

A very crowded Sycamore Street.

Students from BC Discoveries perform at the Trinity Health/St. Mary South Stage.

The day’s organizer, Fred Poritsky, of FZP Digital, dubbed Welcome Day 2023 “a rousing success,” both for the community and for the Newtown Business Association, which stages the event.

“The music, the food, the vendors - everything was great. We couldn’t have asked for anything better. The weather was sunny. And people were happy,” he said.

Poritsky chaired the event with Leah Patterson (Playa Bowls Newtown) and Heather DiPrato (Newtown Neighbors and Yardley Living).

At Silo Drive and Durham Road, members of the Newtown Fire Association were promoting its upcoming Beerfest in September and sharing fire prevention tips with the community.

Just a few feet away, representatives from the Newtown Township Police Department were educating parents about scams and handing out fun activity packets to youngsters.

At the other end of the street, representatives with Capital Health, the event’s main sponsor, were giving tours of its state-of-the-art Advance Simulation Training Center.

Nearby, Matt Peters, the owner of the local Weed Man franchise, had a front-row seat for Welcome Day. His business is located on Sycamore Street in the heart of the action. He was dressed up as "Weed Man - The Superhero," ready to fight weeds of any kind showing up on the lawn.

The Bill Mervin Mortgage Group handed out free cotton candy.

The Best Darn Kettle Korn guys - a Welcome Day favorite - reported brisk sales.

Members of Newtown Fire and Rescue handed out fire prevention information and promoted its upcoming Beerfest in September.

Capital Health was the main sponsor of this year's Newtown Welcome Day.

A look inside Capital Health's Advanced Simulation Training Center, a mobile simulation laboratory that provides state-of-the-art, multidisciplinary clinical training for physicians, nurses, emergency medical service providers, and other staff.

Throughout visitors enjoyed free cotton candy and devoured funnel cake and bags of the Best Darn Kettle Korn as they took in live performances by the Newtown School of Rock, BC Discoveries, Action Karate, the Back Porch Jug Band, the Bunker Band, Jill Salkin and lots more.

Just outside of the festival area, on the grounds of the Historic Presbyterian Church, Welcome Day visitors took a step back in time to the days of the American Revolution.

Members of the 1st CrossingVolunteers, home-based at Crossing Community Church, staged an encampment on the historic church grounds, which included Colonial games, musket firing demonstrations, and hearthside cooking.

Visitors who took a look inside the church learned that it is the oldest church in Newtown dating to 1769. They also learned that in 1776 it was commandeered by General George Washington for use as a hospital, a jail, and a P.O.W. “camp.”

After the Battle of Trenton, several hundred Hessians were held there before they began their long march to Philadelphia where they would be exchanged for American soldiers.

Mark your calendar for Sunday, July 23. That's when the Newtown Antique and Classic Auto Show rolls onto State Street in Newtown Borough. The car show is organized by the Newtown Business Association and is free and open to the public.

Members of the Newtown Rotary Club were on hand to promote its many service projects.

The Newtown Athletic Club devoted its booth to promoting "The Well Lounge," which offers a wide variety of surgery-free, medical-administered cosmetic procedures.

Christina Nelson, founder of Fuel the Force, with members of the Newtown Township Police Department. Fuel the Force is a nonprofit organization that gives back to Bucks County law enforcement through a community lunch program.