Caroline Bonnivier/North Adams Transcript
Thousands revel in Foliage parade
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| Members of the Cheshire Alert Hose Company
recreate the well-known photograph of firefighters raising a flag at
Ground Zero on Sept. 12, 2001, as the float, 'We Will Never Forget,'
makes it way down Main Street during the 47th Annual Fall Foliage Parade
in North Adams on Sunday.
Caroline Bonnivier/North Adams Transcript |
Children excitedly clutched brightly colored balloons and vinyl toys as they watched for their favorite participants to march by. Both they and their parents dashed toward the parade to get a better look at the city's new trolley as it passed, bedecked in golden tinsel.
There was no shortage of convertible automobiles, fire engines, police vehicles or antique cars as communities from throughout the Berkshires sent their "Hometown Heroes" to participate in the festivities.
While children of elementary school age ran into the street to scoop up candy thrown to them by those in the parade, the preschoolers got into the spirit of the day by dancing beside their seats as the high school marching bands passed by.
But, for the children who were participating in the parade, the day was fun, exciting and tiring -- all at the same time.
Eight-year-old Allie Bona of Clarksburg marched as "Little Slider" with the SteepleCats contingent. Asked how she got to be a mini mascot, she explained, "My grandma made it for me for Halloween," referring to her costume.
"She's a big fan," her mother said.
Although she was hot and tired by the end of the parade route, Allie said the experience was "fun."
Once again, the biggest "kids" in the parade were the Shriners. The popular group raced up and down the street on tiny cars, performing tricks to an appreciative crowd.
even the Shriners couldn't evoke the applause, whoops and hollers that arose from the crowd all along the parade route as Anna Saldo-Burke's class of Sullivan School students, who had worked to bring a detachment of the U.S. Army's mounted cavalry to the parade, were given a hero's welcome by almost all they passed.
The nine-year-olds rode with some of their parents, Teaching Assistant Diane Perras and Saldo-Burke in a horse-drawn wagon in front of the soldiers, who were mounted on six quarter horses.
"There's a lot of proud kids here," said Perras.
"It was fun," said Brittany Rancourt. "I got to pet the horses."
"I saw about 100 people I know," Jeffrey Strange said.
"They worked hard," parent Hopeann Gilman said of the children. Her son, Zachary, helped bring the cavalry to the parade. "I'm super proud of them. The community really came together and they did it in just three and a half short months."
Although Chris Hilchur was tired, he said the effort to bring the cavalry to North Adams had been worth it.
"It took a lot of hard work, but we did it," said Kayline Upton.
At the end of the parade route, Natasha Deckers appeared heavy-hearted to see the experience ending and the soldiers going home.
"She's sad they're leaving," said her mother.
Prior to the parade, the class had spent some time getting to know the soldiers they worked so hard to bring to the city. The children agreed that getting to know the group was the best part of the weekend.
"Those guys were awesome to hang out with," said Gilman. "It was the greatest time."
One crowd estimate put the number of people at the parade at 30,000.