The Philly Phlotilla Launches Saturday, July 11th Celebrating America 250!
Schuylkill River Greenways, a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting people and
communities to the Schuylkill River, introduces the Philly Phlotilla, a paddling event that will
celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States of America with a unique Philadelphia
twist.
The event will highlight the specific and significant role that the Schuylkill and Delaware rivers
played in the American Revolution, as well as its relevance today with the renewed use of the
river for recreation. The Schuylkill River was recently named Pennsylvania’s first National Water
Trail.
Over 100 kayakers decked out in patriotic colors and even costumes will take to the river,
creating a spectacle of color and sound. Led by experienced river guides, the flotilla will cover
eight miles of the Schuylkill River, paddling from the Walnut Street Dock to Fort Mifflin on the
Delaware, the “Fort that Saved America,” where the celebration will continue.
Residents and visitors to Philadelphia are invited to be part of the Phlotilla and view the parade
of colorful kayaks from the Schuylkill River Trail boardwalk and the South Street Bridge just after
launch at 1pm. Anyone wishing to grab a photo should be in place by 12:30 to catch the launch
of 100 kayakers en masse from Schuylkill Banks.
“It’s been an incredible summer already for Schuylkill River Greenways,” said SRG executive
director, Elaine Schaefer. “We’ve earned the designation of the first National Water Trail in PA
and we just hosted our 28th annual Schuylkill River Sojourn. The Philly Phlotilla is the perfect
follow up to both of those achievements.”
Collaborators for the Phlotilla event include the National Park Service, Fort Mifflin on the
Delaware, Schuylkill Banks (SRDC), Bartram’s Garden, Partnership for the Delaware Estuary,
the PA Department of Conservation and National Resources, Riverways, and SV First
Light/Phila Sail. The event is made possible through generous funding from The Bellwether
District, Highmark Blue Shield, Brandywine Realty Trust, and Duane Morris, LLP, and
Constellation.
“The Phlotilla starts just about 100 yards from where the Sojourn ends.” Schaefer said. “So now,
many of our paddlers can say they have truly paddled the entire Schuylkill River.”
More about the Philly Phlotilla can be found here: https://schuylkillriver.org/america250-paddle/
More information about the recent National Water Trail designation can be found here:

ABOUT SCHUYLKILL RIVER GREENWAYS
The Schuylkill River Greenways NHA is a non-profit organization with the mission of
connecting residents, visitors and communities to the Schuylkill River and the Schuylkill
River Trail (SRT) by serving as a catalyst for civic engagement and economic
development in order to foster stewardship of the watershed and its heritage. Visit
https://schuylkillriver.org/ to learn more.