Parade Chairman for the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc. Michael Blum has sent along his annual thank you letter to the town following the committee’s July 4th events. Here is this year’s letter:
July 5, 2025
To Bel Air and the Greater Harford County Community:
On behalf of the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., I wish to thank the Town of Bel Air, the greater Bel Air community, and the Harford County community as a whole, for its support of and response to the 2025 Bel Air July 4th Parade.
We hope we delivered a parade that is worthy of our Town, our community and our magnificent country, the United States of America: one nation indivisible, whose Independence Day we celebrate every July 4th.
July in Maryland brings its own challenges, but this year’s weather was certainly one of the best: not too hot; sunny and breezy, without a cloud in the sky! Even with July 4th this year being part of a holiday weekend, the crowds were large and enthusiastic, well behaved and wonderfully decked out in patriotic garb. I am always impressed and pleased to see so many children sitting with their families, waving flags and pennants, and having a great time. All too soon, today’s children will be tomorrow’s parents, and I hope in the future that they come back with their own children, sit on the same curbs, and enjoy parades, just as they did this year.
Many people do not realize that the Bel Air July 4th Parade and indeed all the Independence Day celebrations in Bel Air are funded and run by an independent not-for-profit organization, the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc. We on this Committee have a vision of what the parade should be, and we try, to the best of our ability, to bring this vision to reality. The Committee relies on the contributions of individuals, businesses and municipalities — contributions of time, effort, and funds. The Committee interacts with Town Government and Law Enforcement, and with the Town Department of Public Works, without whose support, of course, the event could not occur.
I wish especially to thank the Town of Bel Air Commissioners, led by its Chairperson & Mayor Paula Etting, Deputy Mayor Steve Chizmar, and Commissioners Mary Chance, James Rutledge and Jakob Taylor. Thanks also go to Bel Air Town Manager Eddie Hopkins, to Town Director of Human Resources and Administration Michael Krantz, to our Director of Public Works Steve Kline, and to many important Town officials, including Angela Robertson, Town of Bel Air Economic Development Director, and Julia Potler at the Armory.
I also wish to thank Town of Bel Air Chief of Police Charles Moore, Lieutenant Robert Pfarr, Officer Rick Krause and the entire Bel Air Police Department, for their wonderful support, help and careful guarantee of our safety. Public safety is no light matter these days — that’s for sure! But thanks to the Bel Air Police Department, who were certainly helped by the Harford County Sheriff’s Department and other law enforcement agencies, we had a safe and satisfying time in Bel Air. I particularly need to thank the BAPD Motorcycle Corps for guiding the band buses, and two hard-working members of the Harford County Sheriff’s Department who — in the nick of time — helped me secure an important document related to parade deployment.
I must of course thank the Town of Bel Air Department of Public Works personnel, especially Chuck Arnold and Freddie Murillo, and the rest of the fine, hardworking DPW staff, who can cope with any situation and are always there when we need them. We are lucky to have them on our side!
The Committee also takes into account the needs of the Town itself, and the sheer practicality and logistics inherent in mounting a function as large as the Bel Air July 4 parade. It is also surely significant that our Committee has received such support from the community for the parade, beginning with our Premier Sponsor, Jones Junction. Other sponsoring organizations overall include the Bel Air Auxiliary Police Unit, the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., the Town of Bel Air, and the Bel Air Lions Club.
Thanks also to the Bel Air Volunteer Fire Company, under the direction of Chief Stephan Cox, and all the Harford County volunteer fire companies in the parade, expertly marshaled in the parade by Paul Chizmar, whose hard work added to our safety. All the fire companies looked great!
I know how difficult it is to get a band together to march and play in the middle of the summer, so I give great thanks to the Harford County High School Marching Bands who were able to participate: Aberdeen High School, C. Milton Wright High School, Edgewood High School, Fallston High School, Havre de Grace High School, North Harford High School and Patterson Mill High School. I must especially commend the Bel Air Marching Bobcats Band. Due to an editing error in assembling the Reviewing Stand Narration, some important names were omitted. So, we thank hugely and apologize deeply to Bel Air High School Drum Majors Lilly Dowd, Megan McCashland and Shreeya Patel. You were great, and so was your band! In fact, of the local bands, the Aberdeen High School Marching Band, under the direction of Kaitlyn Whitman, and the Bel Air High School Marching Band, under the direction of Samantha Romero, were judged the best!
To the many businesses, churches, clubs, individuals and organizations who also participated in the parade — you truly exemplify what it means to be public-spirited, patriotic and community-minded. I want to also thank our elected public officials for their cooperation and spirited participation in the parade, and for their willingness to understand our vision of it.
It takes hours and hours of commitment and hard work from many, many volunteers to make a parade happen, so I need to send many, many thanks to our many, many volunteers, including but not limited to Parade Marshals Amy Biondi, Perry Thompson, Matt McDonald, Jen Snyder, Emily Snyder, Adeline Hopper, Vince Nohe, Mike Mullins, Seth Mullins, Andy Whaley, Nathan Snyder, Shane Whaley, Tanner Cornelius, Will Shek, Tommy Kerfoot, Mike Stephens, Aaron Cahall, Lisa Williams, David Williams, Phil Raub, Annette Blum, Mike Barnett, Dave Guzewich, Satish Walia, Kadjo Dossou,Tim Ingram, Mike New, Mark Bowman, Chris Gilley, Erin Hughes, John Gilley, Gabrielle Brady, Mary Lupton, Deb Wood, Henry Giordano, Matt Giordano, Ryan Stephens, Maddy McCutcheon, Alyssa Biondi and Bill McCutcheon.
Noteworthy to me was the work done by Aaron Cahall, Tommy Kerfoot and Bill McCutcheon at the parade starting point, by Vince Nohe working with the bands, by Jen Snyder organizing the banners and by Andy Whaley managing the floats.
Parade Banners were carried by members of Cub Scout Pack 313, Casey Snyder, Committee Chair & Damon Costello, Cubmaster; also by members of the Rock Spring Racers, directed by Amy Allman; also by Bel Air Lions members Sandy Guzewich and Ken Spoerl — all managed wonderfully by Jen Snyder, who was helped by Emily Snyder and Adeline Hopper. Our Judges, all of whom were new this year, did an excellent job awarding Parade Honors, including “Best in Parade” to the Miracle League of Harford County for its float, embodying the 2025 theme (more on which is coming, below). Please see our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/BelAirJuly4 and our web site at https://belairjuly4.org/results.php for a complete list of Parade Awards.
The Master of Ceremonies at our Reviewing Stand was Kristy Breslin from Channel 2 WMAR-TV, aided by Rich Bennett from Harford County Living. Great job again, guys! Script coordination was handled by Perry Thompson, taking a digital text feed from Amy Biondi. The National Anthem was beautifully sung at 6 pm at the Reviewing Stand by soprano Mary Pohlenz, following a dramatic and moving reading of the Declaration of Independence by Christine Potts, Executive Director of the Historical Society of Harford County. The Reviewing Stand itself was decorated by MaryAnn Williams, Kim Politz and Jeanne Bayer. Harford TV, under the direction of Bob Lidke, simulcast the parade, and I believe you can still see it on Harford TV’s Facebook page. The Reviewing Stand area was managed by Matt McDonald, who pulled it off wonderfully.
Shuttle driver Amy Biondi brought refreshment to the marshals, managed walkie-talkie communications and performed our critical text-messaging between Parade Start and the Reviewing Stand — all at the same time! Brava, Amy! Vendors along the parade route were coordinated by John Hayes.
Many bands in the parade were sponsored by area businesses, including APGFCU; Balsamo, Lutters, Renna & Rosensteel, CPAs; the Bel Air Lions Club; the Edgewood Lions Club; Jarrettsville Federal Savings & Loan Association; JES Foundation Repair; Jones Junction; Klein’s ShopRite of Harford County; Maryland American Water & the American Water Foundation; Plaza Ford; and Tar Heel Construction Group, LLC. Thanks to these forward-thinking businesses!
If I’ve left out someone who worked with us on the parade, or contributed to it, please accept my apologies, and my personal thanks, for your volunteerism and commitment. The theme of this year’s parade, indeed, was “Be a Volunteer — Help Your Community!” The list I’ve just given names those who best embody that creed. If you like the fact there’s a wonderful parade every July 4 in Bel Air, just remember — it’s thanks to VOLUNTEERS like these!
Every year, I try to identify an “unsung hero” who acted in such a significant way, so beyond expectations, that his or her contribution “made the parade work.” My “unsung hero” award this year goes to Andy Whaley. Andy and scouts from Troop 313 not only marshaled the twenty-six floats in the parade (the most ever!), but took over the all-important “poop patrol” horse poop pickup that followed our large Equestrian Division. We can laugh at this, but those hard-working scouts kept the streets clean!
Of course, I need to thank the President of the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, David B. Williams, who took over this role in 2023. He has been a rock of dependability, and we look forward to more great years ahead under his leadership. Thanks, Dave! Don Stewart, our past President and current Treasurer, and Lisa Williams, our Secretary, have continued to work as hard as anyone, on the day as a whole, and of course on the parade especially.
Last of all — we, the Committee, are already working on the 2026 Parade!
Yours truly,
Michael I . Blum
Parade Chairman & Vice President
Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc.
