Parade Comm. marches on; Clinton and Cellucci invited
Published on May 3rd, 2000
STONEHAM, MA - The clock is ticking, and with just four more months until Parade 2000 steps off, the Parade Committee has stepped up its efforts to bring on the biggest celebration of the millennium.
Sunday, Sept. 17 marks the date when bands, marching units, color guards, floats and much more will travel the length of Main Street to entertain the throngs of spectators expected to join in the festivities, including invited guests, Governor Cellucci and President Clinton.
To achieve this, committee members have been working feverishly to nail down a parade route, raise the necessary funds to put on a show of this magnitude, and secure the best marchers for the job.
The parade is expected to begin on the north side of town, the exact location of which is still being worked out, and end at the south end by Friendly's.
While vehicular traffic will be restricted from Main Street for much of the day, the committee has put together a logistics subcommittee which will work with the police, fire and emergency medical service departments to assure emergency access to any points in town.
In March, the committee sparked momentum and interest in the parade by sponsoring a Ham & Bean Dinner at the Town Hall. The evening proved a resounding success with hundreds of locals feasting on delicious food, socializing, and dancing to the tunes of D.J. Bob Solano.
A parade of this magnitude is expected to cost upwards of $60,000. Many local and area businesses have already made donations to the effort in various forms. Parade 2000 raffle tickets can be purchased from committee members. Millennium T-shirts and sweatshirts can also be purchased at the Stoneham Independent, Joseph's Place on Franklin Street, McDonough's Liquors, the Town Clerk's office, the Stoneham Arena and Anthony's Italian Specialties.
The MDC has been instrumental in working with the committee and providing many items for parade day, from the reviewing stand to trash barrels.
Local schools, clubs and churches will be requested to put together a parade float.
Anyone interested in participating in the parade effort is encouraged to contact committee co-chairmen Frank Geary at 438-6066 or John Hanright at the Town Clerk's office at 279-2650 or attend the next Parade Committee meeting on May 10 at 7 p.m. at the Town Hall.
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