Monday, October 13, 2008 1:01 PM EDT
61st parade sails through Westerly
 Westerly High School joins the celebration of Christopher Columbus on Sunday. Larry St. Pierre / SunPhoto |
WESTERLY — Barking dogs, skate-boarding kids and sandal-clad bare-legged pedestrians cavorted in the streets under sunny skies Sunday as Old Glory waved in the mild breeze and the crowd waited for the signal to strike up the band on Granite Street hill as the 61st annual Columbus Day parade began.
The sound of martial music drew observers to their feet as divisions of Korean War veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars passed by. Fire companies with their shining trucks, frisky horses and floats passed through Dixon Square on their way to the reviewing stand and the state and local dignitaries awaiting them.
Tony LePore, the Providence dancing cop, spun around in the street at the start of the parade to the sounds of the Worcester Sound Military Band Organ. The tuneful calliope set the tone for the convivial atmosphere and the appearance of the armory float carrying Grand Marshal Roberta Mudge Humble.
Members of the Columbus Day Parade Committee, headed by president Joseph H. Potter, flanked by division marshals Joseph J. Iacoi and Stewart Pucci, preceded Westerly Police Chief Edward Mello and Stonington Police Chief Darren Stewart.
The Westerly Band, the oldest active civic band in the nation, picked up the mood of the crowd with rousing music.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed was in the governor’s division along with state Sen. Dennis Algiere, and state representatives Brian Patrick Kennedy and Peter Lewiss. Westerly officials padded along with November political hopefuls and Stonington’s top officials. State Rep. Diana Urban of North Stonington also popped up in the line of march, waving and smiling to cheering constituents.
School bands from Westerly, Stonington and Chariho, Scottish pipe and drum bands, area bands from both Connecticut and Rhode Island and points beyond, blended their particular brand of music in every segment of the march. Johnny Nicholas and his band from the Knickerbocker Café added yet another twist to the event.
Representatives from Battery B 1st and Battery C 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, Battery D 705th AAA Gun Battalion and Disbanded Battery D 705 AAA and Rhode Island National Guard Recruiting leant more military presence to the parade. Churches, credit unions and an impressive display of vehicles from the Rhode Island Antique Tractor Club participated as did Scout groups, police divisions, radio stations and fraternal orders.
Colorful vendors pushed balloons, parasols and cotton candy throughout the afternoon as tiny tots reached anxious hands toward their wares. The 94- year-old Bradford School was represented as were Springbrook, Tower Street and St. Pius schools from Westerly; West Vine, West Broad and St. Michael’s Elementary schools from Pawcatuck; and the Pawcatuck Middle School.
The good news is the weather was perfect, the parade was wonderful and the spectators were joyous. The bad news is that the unusually lengthy delays in the line of march caused a lot of the folks downtown to leave when the parade was only half over. The rest of them seemed to know there had to be more — and there was. A lot more.
The sound of martial music drew observers to their feet as divisions of Korean War veterans and the Veterans of Foreign Wars passed by. Fire companies with their shining trucks, frisky horses and floats passed through Dixon Square on their way to the reviewing stand and the state and local dignitaries awaiting them.
Tony LePore, the Providence dancing cop, spun around in the street at the start of the parade to the sounds of the Worcester Sound Military Band Organ. The tuneful calliope set the tone for the convivial atmosphere and the appearance of the armory float carrying Grand Marshal Roberta Mudge Humble.
Members of the Columbus Day Parade Committee, headed by president Joseph H. Potter, flanked by division marshals Joseph J. Iacoi and Stewart Pucci, preceded Westerly Police Chief Edward Mello and Stonington Police Chief Darren Stewart.
The Westerly Band, the oldest active civic band in the nation, picked up the mood of the crowd with rousing music.
U.S. Sen. Jack Reed was in the governor’s division along with state Sen. Dennis Algiere, and state representatives Brian Patrick Kennedy and Peter Lewiss. Westerly officials padded along with November political hopefuls and Stonington’s top officials. State Rep. Diana Urban of North Stonington also popped up in the line of march, waving and smiling to cheering constituents.
School bands from Westerly, Stonington and Chariho, Scottish pipe and drum bands, area bands from both Connecticut and Rhode Island and points beyond, blended their particular brand of music in every segment of the march. Johnny Nicholas and his band from the Knickerbocker Café added yet another twist to the event.
Representatives from Battery B 1st and Battery C 1st Rhode Island Light Artillery, Battery D 705th AAA Gun Battalion and Disbanded Battery D 705 AAA and Rhode Island National Guard Recruiting leant more military presence to the parade. Churches, credit unions and an impressive display of vehicles from the Rhode Island Antique Tractor Club participated as did Scout groups, police divisions, radio stations and fraternal orders.
Colorful vendors pushed balloons, parasols and cotton candy throughout the afternoon as tiny tots reached anxious hands toward their wares. The 94- year-old Bradford School was represented as were Springbrook, Tower Street and St. Pius schools from Westerly; West Vine, West Broad and St. Michael’s Elementary schools from Pawcatuck; and the Pawcatuck Middle School.
The good news is the weather was perfect, the parade was wonderful and the spectators were joyous. The bad news is that the unusually lengthy delays in the line of march caused a lot of the folks downtown to leave when the parade was only half over. The rest of them seemed to know there had to be more — and there was. A lot more.
brenda wrote on Oct 14, 2008 11:52 AM:
" I grew up watching the Westerly Parades and moving to an area that doesn't have that kind of small town comraderie, you realize how important things like this are. Polititians aside it's nice to get out and meet and greet those you haven't seen since the last parade. Too long - I remember when it only lasted about 15 minutes. So if you're one of those who can't enjoy a little hometown activity... Shut up and deal "
What wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:53 AM:
"
Why do only the misanthropes post on this board? "
Why do only the misanthropes post on this board? "
Westerly Resident wrote on Oct 14, 2008 9:08 AM:
" anyone who wishes to make the parade 'better' shoul participate instead of looking for issues "
bernard wrote on Oct 14, 2008 8:58 AM:
" too long "
bernard wrote on Oct 14, 2008 8:31 AM:
" too long and too disjointed tied up downtown too long "
Sad wrote on Oct 13, 2008 7:25 PM:
" The bands were wonderful but most of the parade was one giant advertisement. What happened to the wonderful parade we used to have!?! As a former junior grand marshall, I have to say it was disappointing. "
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