Park Road Parade

LINKS

The 10th Annual Park Road Parade is set for Saturday, October 4, 2008. The parade steps off at 10:30 AM, rain or shine, at Ringgold Street and ends at South Quaker Lane. Mark your calendar and bring the whole family to this wonderful celebration of West Hartford.

The annual Celebrity Breakfast, a special fundraising event for the parade, will be held on Tuesday, May 6 from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Effie’s Place Family Restaurant, 91 Park Road. Bring your appetite and $10 and you will receive your choice of breakfast served by local celebrities.

The money raised will help the Park Road Business Association pay various expenses for the 10th annual Park Road Parade to be held on Saturday, October 4, 2008.

Local celebrities include Mayor Scott Slifka, Town Manager Jim Francis, Police Chief Jim Strillacci, Fire Chief Bill Austin, Eyewitness News meteorologist Scot Haney and reporter Dan Kain, Basketball legend KC Jones, Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez, and many more. Radio personality Brad Davis will be broadcasting his morning show live from Effie's.

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The 2007 Park Road Parade was held on Saturday, October 6. The Grand Marshals were Scot Haney and Irene O'Connor of Eyewitness News Channel 3. Following them, more than 100 units will be entertaining the annual crowd of 7,000-10,000 people with floats, bands and performers.

Among them will be 13 marching bands including the Conard High School and Sedgwick Middle School bands, the Sphinx Shriner Band, Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band, the Connecticut Patriots Ancient Fife & Drum, the University of Hartford Steel Drum Band, the Golden Phoenix Marching Band, and much more.

Back by popular demand are the Asian dance group, Falun Dafa, and Portuguese Folklore Dance Troupe in their colorful costumes, demonstrating cultural dances. A dozen fanciful clowns and a stilt walker will be roaming the parade route.

The 2007 parade will also feature the distinguished 1st Company Governor’s Horse Guard, the 2nd Rhode Island Volunteer Infantry, the Knights of Columbus, and the West Hartford police and fire honor guards including the two Police Officers of the Year Sgt. Douglas Frink and Officer Andy Wamester.

Forty-four businesses from the Park Road area will be represented, as well as five antique cars and the Ferrari Club of America, 32 civic and non-profit organizations, eight town agencies and nine schools including Teacher of the Year Kathleen Paquette.

Local politicians, including sitting members of the town council, board of education and state representatives will walk and greet the crowd as well.

Awards were given to best car, most unique float and best neighborhood group.

Special thanks to our 2007 sponsors for making this parade possible. They are West Hartford Police Union Local 1283, Parrotta Management Corp., Thomas Fahy Insurance Associates, Citizens Bank, Farmington Savings Bank, New Alliance Bank, A. C. Petersen Farm Restaurant, American Legion Hayes-Velhage Post 96, Barlow C.P.A. & Co. and Barlow Insurance, Webster Bank, Prospect Cafe, Fresh Ink Promotional Graphics, LLC and ALDI Grocery Store.

The genesis of the parade started in 1998 as a celebration to a two-year road reconstruction and beautification project which bonded both businesses and residents of the area. Since then the parade has grown bigger and better.

For more information, please call Richard Patrissi at 233-2447.

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