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375th Anniversary Parade CommitteePictured from left to right are Marie Gray; Brian Schroll; Andy Power; Paul Courchaine, Chair; Larry Spellacy; Mike Rell and Sal Cucia. Absent from the picture are Art Hutchinson, Vice Chair; Charlie Forsdick; Chris Traczyk and Phil Lombardo. |
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The Wethersfield 375th Anniversary Parade Committee is pleased to announce that the parade commemorating our anniversary has been re-scheduled to its rain date of Sunday, October 4, 2009. The parade route will wind through historic Old Wethersfield beginning at 1 p.m. and is anticipated to last two hours.
If you or an organization you are a member of would like to participate in the parade and help us celebrate historic Wethersfield, "Ye most Auncient Towne in Connecticut," contact us today.
Paul Courchaine - 375th Parade Chairman
Contact Information
For more information about the parade e-mail the Wethersfield Parks & Recreation Department or contact one of the individuals below.
- Art Hutchinson - (860) 563-5801
- Larry Spellacy - (860) 529-7135
General Information
Parade Route
The parade will step off at 1 p.m. from the Solomon Welles House at the corner of Hartford Avenue and State Street and will head west to Nott Street, then proceed to Garden Street. The parade will continue all the way down Garden Street, then turn left onto Main Street. It will follow Main Street north and turn left onto State Street, ending at the Department of Motor Vehicles parking lot. Approximate distance is 1.6 miles, and the parade is expected to last approximately two hours.
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375th Anniversary Parade Route [128 KB PDF* file] |
Parking
Handicapped parking will be available at the Comstock, Ferre and Company parking lot at 236 Main Street. To view the parade, a roped-off section will be available for those with disabilities next to the reviewing stands which will be located at 250 Main Street.
Parking for the parade will be available throughout the parade route at several designated parking lots. Spectators may also park on any residential street not marked by "no parking" signs.
The following parking lots are available within the parade route itself. They are Hanmer School, The Stillman Building, Trinity Episcopal Church, Chas. C. Hart Seed Company and the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center. Those who choose to park at one of the above designated areas are cautioned that each of these parking lots is located within the parade route. If you wish to leave before the parade has ended there may be some delay in exiting.
Parking areas available outside of the parade route include the parking lots at Wethersfield Town Hall, Clearing House Auction Galleries and Putnam Park.
Shuttle buses will run from Putnam Park on Great Meadow Road to the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center on Main Street before the start of the parade and after. The shuttle will begin at 11 a.m. and continue one hour after the parade has ended.
Restrooms
Public restrooms will be available for use at the following locations: Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, American Legion and the Trinity Episcopal Church, all on Main Street. In addition, the Stillman Building (Board of Education) on Hartford Avenue will be available. All are handicapped accessible with the exception of the restrooms at the church. Portable handicapped accessible units will also be available at Standish Park and the corner of Hart Street and Main Street.
Sponsorship/Support
The 375th Anniversary Parade Committee would like to thank the Wethersfield business community, organizations and volunteers who have given their support and who are helping to make this year's event memorable. If you would like to consider the sponsorship of a band or helping us in any manner, please contact the parade committee at 375th@wethersfieldct.com.
A special thanks to the following who have already provided their support:
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Parade Marshal
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Mr. Richard B. Lasher |
Richard B. Lasher was born on the sunny morning of June 26th in 1919. He has been a resident of Griswoldville for fifty years, and in his 90 years has never lived outside a three mile radius. He graduated from Wethersfield High School in 1937 and attended Morse College until 1939. He has since attended City College in New York City, Trinity College, and Central Connecticut State University. On September 12, 1942, Richard Lasher married Gene Pratt, and this September they will celebrate their 67th anniversary. Together they have four children, nine grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
Richard Lasher volunteered for the U. S. Coast Guard in 1942 and served three years in New York City as an investigator for the U. S. Coast Guard Intelligence. In addition Mr. Lasher enjoyed a very successful business career. He was an assistant office manager for Firestone Tire Company. He then worked in the purchasing department for Colt's Firearms, and was a Sales Manager for Plimpton & Hills Corporation before he opened his own wholesale distribution company in 1954. In 1984 he retired at the age of 65 from Lasher Supply Company, Incorporated.
Richard Lasher has always shown a passion for public service. He volunteered for ten years at the State Veterans' Hospital in Rocky Hill and has spent over two thirds of this life as a dedicated member of not only the Bourne Keeney Post - American Legion and the First Church of Christ in Wethersfield, but also the Silas Deane Masonic Lodge and the Griswoldville Chapel. He has also been a member of the Sphinx Shrine for twenty-five years, and in 1995 he was officially recognized as the Honorary Mayor of Griswoldville.
He has shown his passion for the Town of Wethersfield as a Justice of the Peace and has been the town Fence Viewer for the past 33 years. For the past 16 years he has marched in the Memorial Day parade. As a youngster, Richard marched with his Boy Scout troop in the 300th Anniversary parade and later, as an adult, he marched as Uncle Sam in the 350th Anniversary parade in 1984. We are honored this year to have him marching again as Parade Marshal for Wethersfield's 375th Anniversary parade.
Line of March
The following is the Line of March as of Friday, October 2nd and is subject to change. Marchers in the parade are asked to read the footnote located at the end of the listing.
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All marchers are reminded to begin arriving at the line of march at 11 a.m. and no later than 12 noon. Marchers will be lined up on the grassy area between the DMV and the Solomon Welles House. Vehicles and floats will be lined up on State Street. Beginning at 11 a.m. the traffic from Hartford Avenue to State Street will become one-way; allowing only traffic to travel east onto State Street into the DMV parking lot. After 12 noon all traffic will be closed at the corner of Hartford Avenue and State Street. You will be redirected to travel south on Hartford Avenue down to Main Street back to State Street to gain access to the DMV. Shortly before the parade is to begin traffic will be closed off on State Street from both directions and access to the line of march by vehicle will be prohibited.
We are asking everyone to car pool wherever possible. Parking at the Department of Motor Vehicles will be for those marching only. Those who are simply dropping off individuals who are marching are asked to drop individuals off and then proceed to exit. Buses and trailers will be directed to the rear parking lot of the DMV.
E-mail blasts will be issued prior to the date of the parade for any last minute updates.
Revised 10/2/2009
Rain Plans
Latest parade information will be announced after 8 a.m. on WTIC radio station, will be available by calling the Parks and Recreation Department program information line at (860) 721-2890 or by checking Wethersfield's Channel 16 announcements and/or the "Latest Announcements" section on the home page of the town web site.
*This linked file is in Adobe's Portable Document Format. To view it you will need Adobe Reader installed on your computer. It is available for free download at:
