CHATHAM – The town will celebrate the nation’s 249th birthday just as it has for more than 150 years with a gala parade down Main Street.
Although the crowd can be difficult to gauge, officials expect upwards of 40,000 people to line the route of the parade, which begins at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, July 4 at the corner of Main Street and Shore Road.
The Independence Day parade committee, which organizes the event, has made a few small tweaks to this year’s version, and police say that they plan to strictly enforce parking restrictions that go into effect at 2:30 a.m. Thursday.
Nearly 80 entrants have registered to participate in the parade, the theme of which is “Seasons of Chatham.” Many parade veterans will return, such as perennial first place winner Phillips Farm Family (can they pull it off again?), along with the Stage Harbor Yacht Club, fan favorite Pogo Dave, the Chatham Squire and Mahi Gold, which will be handing out deflated beach balls this year as a safety measure at the request of the parade committee.
“All the standards are there,” said parade committee chair Steve DeBoer.
Nine antique cars will roll with the parade, and all of the bands from last year are returning, said DeBoer. Bands include the Chatham Band, Cape Cod Fiddlers, J Place and the Rockers, Slightly Tuned, Digney Fignus, the Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School Marching Band and Color Guard, and the Invincible Casuals.
Some new participants signed up for this year’s parade, including the Grateful Mug Cafe, the Monomoy High track and field team and the Nines Gallery.
Parade judges this year are Monomoy High School Valedictorian Lucy Bates, former Chronicle sales rep Amy Tagliaferri, and Jo-Ellen Erickson, who submitted this year’s theme. Emory Hines will sing the National Anthem at the judge’s stand, at the corner of Main and Cross streets on the lawn of the Chatham Methodist Church, at the start of the parade.
The parade route follows Main Street to Crowell Road and this year will extend down to Lake Street. It previously ended at Tip Cart Road, but DeBoer said floats were stopping there to let people off and causing the parade to back up. By diverting the procession down Lake Street, the committee hopes to avoid the backup and provide an opportunity for participants to ride or walk to the Monomoy Middle School, where parade entrants will be encouraged to park.
A streetsweeper will pull up the rear of the parade, both as an indicator that the procession is over and to start the cleanup of debris left in the streets.
Parking, Traffic Restrictions
With such a large crowd predicted, DeBoer urged paradegoers to arrive early and figure out where to park ahead of time.
“People should just plan ahead,” he said.
No parking will be in effect on Main Street beginning at 2:30 a.m. Parking is not allowed on the south side of Main Street from the rotary to Shore Road; on the north side from the rotary to Seaview Street and from the Tale of the Cod to Shore Road; on Crowell Road; and on Hitching Post, Tip Cart and Depot roads.
Chairs are not to be placed on Main Street in the downtown area in marked street parking until after 2:30 p.m. Anything placed along the road prior to that will be removed.
Shore Road, where the parade stages, will close to all but parade and local traffic at 7 a.m. Main Street from the rotary to Shore Road closes to all traffic at 8:30 a.m., and at 9 a.m. Main Street closes to Crowell Road.
Leaving town after the parade can be challenging. Police ask that drivers be patient and follow the instructions of officers directing traffic.
What Else Is Going Over The Holiday Weekend?
While it’s the main event, the parade isn’t the only thing happening in town over the Independence Day weekend.
If you get the paper early, take in the Family Fun and Fireworks at Veterans Field on Wednesday, July 2. The evening starts with kids activities at 7 p.m., followed by music by the Jeff Lowe Band at 8 and fireworks about 9:15. It’s all free, sponsored by the Chatham Athletic Association.
The Chatham Anglers play the Orleans Firebirds on Thursday evening at 7 at Veterans Field.
Start Friday off with a hearty breakfast at the Rotary Club of Chatham’s 58th annual Pancake Breakfast. After trying out the VFW last year, the breakfast is back at Chatham Elementary School, making it easy to head to the parade after filling up on pancakes. It runs from 7 to 10 a.m.; adults are $15, children under 12 are $5, under 12 are free, and a family of four can eat for $30. Proceeds benefit the Rotary Club’s community projects.
Looking for some refreshments before, during or after the parade? Check out the Chatham Congregational Church (at the rotary), where refreshments will be available on the lawn from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
Another tasty option after the parade is the Strawberry Festival at the Chatham Methodist Church beginning at 11 a.m. Homemade strawberry shortcake and fresh whipped cream, hot dogs and beverages are available at the church at the corner of Main and Cross streets.
Since it’s Friday, end the day with a Chatham Band concert at Kate Gould Park, beginning at 8 p.m. As always, the concert is free and a great way to wind up the holiday.
If you have any energy left, check out the annual Back-2 Summer Hangar Party at Chatham Airport on Saturday, July 5. The open air dance party gets underway at 6:30 p.m. and runs until 10 with local bands, food, drink and raffles. Tickets are $30 and all proceeds benefit Monomoy Community Service. For more information, visit monomoy.org.
Chatham Parade Participants:
Chatham Police Department
Chatham Veterans
Chatham Veterans’ Auxiliary
U.S. Coast Guard Station Chatham
U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 013-11-01
Chatham Fire Department (w/ others)
Chatham Town Flag
Chatham Select Board
The Chatham Band
Grand Marshal
1 The Phillips Farm Family
2 Camp Uncle Randy
3 Monomoy Yacht Club
4 Benjamin T. Nickerson, Inc.
5 Chatham Athletic Association, Inc.
6 Cliff Stalker
7 John C Domos Carpentry
8 The Hurley Family
9 Fiddlers
10 Cape Cod’r | Craft Cocktails
11 Stage Harbor Yacht Club
12 Barrows Waste Systems, LLC
13 Charlotte and Violet Skinner
14 Chatham Elementary School
15 Friends of Chatham Waterways
16 Joe Smith
17 The FitzGerald Family
18 Chatham Yacht Club
19 J Place and the Rockers
20 The Moeder Family
21 Joshua Ellis
22 Joshua Ellis
23 America’s Boating Club Cape Cod
24 Slightly Tuned
25 Robert Carleton
26 eXp Realty, LLC
27 Chatham Bars Inn
28 The Chatham Squire and Squire Mobile
29 Shore Thing Cape Cod
30 Chatham Municipal Airport
31 Sandy Leith
32 Kelley Clemons
33 Nixon family
34 Wayne Reslow
35 Digney Fingus
36 The Grateful Mug
37 BROdenim
38 Chatham Orpheum Theater
39 Shore Things Environmental
40 Witches on the Water
41 Redemption Rock
42 Duffy Health Center
43 Pogodave candy cane car
44 Cape Shark
45 The Kingfish
46 Ken Owens Memorial Soccer Jamboree
47 HardTop Hotel South Coast and Cape Cod
48 Magner Family
49 Dave’s Mobile Marine Service
50 Chatham Democratic Town Committee
51 First Night Chatham
52 Summer Sitters
53 Boot Camp Chatham
54 Milley Trucking
55 Muto Construction
56 Boy Scout Troop 71
57 Jetty Dog
58 Chatham Hood Bikes
59 Northeast Portable Restrooms
60 John Martin, Inc.
61 The Nines Art Gallery
62 Chatham Yoga
63 Dennis-Yarmouth Regional High School marching band and color guard
64 Cape Cod Daily Deal
65 Mahi Gold
66 The Fisher Family
67 Monomoy High School Track and Field Team
68 Cape Cod Wind and Weather
69 Invincible Casuals
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Celebrate the country’s 249th birthday at the Chatham July 4 parade. FILE PHOTO
