In 1775, a group of Harford County, Maryland, citizens signed the Bush Declaration, dedicating their support for the actions then being undertaken by the Continental Congress in Philadelphia - actions that led to the Declaration of Independence of the United States of America, issued on July 4, 1776.

In the years since then, this country has stood by its commitment to uphold inalienable rights such as "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness." Citizens of Harford County have also stood by that long-ago pledge to support our nation, in the words of the Bush Declaration, "at the risque of our lives and fortunes."

The first recorded Independence Day parade in Bel Air was held on July 4, 1963. It was the result of several leading local businessmen and Town officials putting their heads together and simply deciding to form a committee to do it!

The first committee, then, was led by Jim McMahan, the local New York Life Agent, who had recently been discharged from active service. Its members also included:

• M. Eugene Street (Owner, Boyd and Fulford's Drug Store)
• J. Vaughan McMahan (Chief of Police, Town of Bel Air; Jim's father)
• Bill Gibson (Harford County Yellow Pages salesman)
• Ernie Johnson (Owner, Johnson furniture)
• John Hubble (Manager, The Hub Store)
• Florio Franetovich, Esq. (Local attorney)
• Lee Phillips (Manager, F. W. Woolworth Store)
• Charles L. Lutz (Owner, Lutz's Appliances)
• Dave Cohen (Owner, Hirsch's Men's Store)

The first parade featured the Bel Air High School band, a couple of floats, and some cars and fire trucks. Not much, although a "Rocket Ship to the Moon!" mounted on the Streets' jeep is still remembered fondly. The next year, "Mayor" Werner Buchal and the Town Commissioners asked Jim McMahan and others to form a committee to create a local community band to play in the parade and at other times — and that was the creation of the Bel Air Community Band, which has played in every July 4th parade since its formation. Bill Humbert, Vice President of Harford Mutual Insurance (and a dedicated band musician), took over the running of the parade shortly thereafter — a task he shouldered into the 1980s.

As the years passed, the event prospered, and eventually included daytime events and night events, in addition to the parade (including the well-remembered BATHTUB RACES, fireworks, and more). The Committee evolved into a collaboration of service clubs from Bel Air, including the Bel Air Lions, the JCs, the Bel Air Rotary, the Bel Air Kiwanis, the Optimists, and others. Finally, the ad-hoc Committee was formalized by the incorporation of the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., in June, 1988.

Ever since, the members of the Bel Air Independence Day Committee have included men and women from diverse businesses and backgrounds, representing all facets of the greater Bel Air community. As many service clubs evolved away from active participation, their members have been individually absorbed into the Committee, which now is primarily filled by non-affiliated volunteers (the Bel Air Lions being the significant exception). The Committee's current president, Don Stewart, a member of the Bel Air Lions, joined the Committee in 1986, and first became an officer in 1989.

Several of the original founders are (as of this 2010 writing) still active around town almost 40 years later; for instance, "Captain Jim" McMahan is now greater Bel Air's representative on the Harford County Council and an inveterate parade participant; Gene Street still owns and operates Boyd & Fulford's.

Reflecting the enormous growth of the greater Bel Air area and Harford County as a whole, the events now bring as many as 90,000 people into the Town of Bel Air each July 4th.

Today, the Bel Air Independence Day Committee, Inc., composed of volunteers and members of sponsoring organizations, provides the leadership and workers to plan and carry out the many activities of our celebration. Financial support is also received from many businesses and professional people in the Bel Air area. This web site contains a list of the patrons and sponsors who have financially assisted with our celebration during the current calendar year.

In addition, the following groups rank as Sponsoring Organizations (both municipal and civic), without whose assistance and cooperation we could not carry on our work; for more information on these groups, clicking on any one of them to open up a new window with the appropriate web site:

We hope you enjoy browsing through this web site. Among its features you will find:

and much, much more!

Thanks, "Captain Jim," for the historical data!