A weeklong celebration of the U.S. Navy’s 250th anniversary will kick off this Thursday, Oct. 9, with a parade of ships on the Delaware River. Soon to follow will be festivities for the Marine Corps’ celebration of its own 250th anniversary on Nov. 10.
Navy festivities will run through Oct. 16 and include a variety of events, but many details are yet to be finalized. However, a free-to-watch Blue Angels flyover at Independence Mall is confirmed for 2:00 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 13.
Ticketed tours of the historic ships at the Independence Seaport Museum will be available throughout the week, as well as tours of active Navy ships at Penn’s Landing and the Navy Yard beginning Oct. 10.
The Army-Navy Cup soccer game will be held on Friday, Oct. 10, at Subaru Park. The Navy-Temple football game will be played Oct. 11 at Lincoln Financial Field. A time is yet to be determined.
A mock air and maritime assault with aircraft flyovers, boats and blank rounds fired will take place at Penn’s Landing and the Camden Waterfront, with a rehearsal on Oct. 11 and full demonstration on Oct. 12 at 2:00 p.m.
Navy ships will ultimately depart on Thursday, Oct. 16.
It is unclear whether the ongoing federal government shutdown will affect the festivities. CBS reports that civilian employees and active-duty servicemembers required to work will likely miss at least one paycheck, but will receive back pay. If the shutdown continues, National Park Service sites, including Independence Hall, may be closed during the events. For an up-to-date schedule of the events, see homecoming250.org.
Home to the Philadelphia Navy Yard and the traditional host of the Army-Navy football game, Philly was once a solidly Navy town, but the shipyard has largely been furloughed and redeveloped.
The Continental Navy was authorized by the Continental Congress at Independence Hall on Oct. 13, 1775, during the Revolutionary War. The Continental Marines were established soon after, and held their first recruitment drive at the long-lost Tun Tavern. The original tavern site, now occupied by I-95, was the birthplace of a number of colonial American societies, including American Freemasonry.
The Marine Corps’ anniversary has kicked off a bizarre battle as two rival Tun Taverns recreations are being built to commemorate the anniversary. The nonprofit Tun Legacy Foundation has raised $9 million and plans to begin construction soon at 19 South 2nd Street.
However, restaurateur, retired Marine and “Tun Tavern” trademark holder Montgomery Dahm has purchased Old City’s Lucha Cartel with the intention of converting it into a Tun Tavern replica with dining and a museum. Dahm operates an Atlantic City restaurant under the Tun Tavern name, but it is unclear whether the Philadelphia location will be complete by the anniversary.
Correction: An earlier version of this article misstated the name of the restaurateur who purchased Lucha Cartel. His name is Montgomery Dahm, not Montgomery Davis.