Over 75 area organizations are set to march down Penn Street Saturday, November 19, in the annual Reading Holiday Parade. The parade steps off from 11th and Penn at 10am and features 7 area high school marching bands, the Woodland String Band, which performs annually in the Mummer’s Day Parade, floats, dance groups, and more.
In preparation for the City’s Holiday Parade, those traveling to downtown Reading will experience the following traffic changes:
No Parking Signs will be posted on Friday, November 18, along: Penn Street from the 200 through the 1000 block, 000 block of South 2nd Street, 000 block of North and South 6th Street, 000 block of North and South 10th Street, 000 block of North 11th Street, and 1100 block of Perkiomen Ave.
All vehicles parked along this route need to be moved by 6am Saturday, as traffic enforcement and towing will begin at 6:30am. At approximately 7am, traffic through City Park will be shut down, and parade participants will have access.
The following streets will be closed to traffic: Rose Garden Rd in City Park, 1100 block of Washington Street, 1100 block of Perkiomen Ave, 200-1000 blocks of Penn Street, 10th Street between Court Street and Cherry Street, 000 block of South 7th Street, 6th Street between Court Street and Cherry Street, 5th Street between Court Street and Cherry Street, Cherry Street between Apple Street and South 2nd Street, 000 block of South 2nd Street, 100 block of Franklin St will be closed to traffic from approximately 8am-2pm.
All traffic coming into the City via the Penn Street Bridge will be directed to turn left on 2nd Street and right onto Court Street to proceed eastbound.
3rd Street, 4th Street, 8th Street, and 9th Street will remain open for traffic traveling north and south across Penn Street. The traffic at those intersections will be controlled by a Police Officer who will direct traffic across Penn St, but NO traffic will be permitted to turn onto Penn Street.
Parade spectators can park free in the following lots: 3rd and Cherry, 4th and Cherry, 5th and Cherry, South Penn Garage, Chiarelli Garage, 2nd and Washington Garage.
