The Benjamin D. Cushing, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2425 celebrated their annual Fourth of July Parade on Thursday. The parade had one hundred entries including antique cars, tractors, antique trucks, clowns, floats, fire engines and marching bands who organized behind the town house before proceeding onto Main Street.
The parade went east on Main Street, to Spring St, north to Rt. 6, west on Rt. 6 to Front St., south on Front St. to Main St. and back to the town house, where prize winners were announced. The judges stand was across from the Tabor Fields on Spring Street and judges included Pam Gibbs, Maureen Kimbal and Tom Gibbs.
“We had everything today… a bagpiper, tractors, great music, you name it,” said Rodney Hunt, parade chairman. “The weather was hot, but people stayed in the shade and everything went smoothly,” said Mr. Hunt.
The Best in Parade went to Joe Guard, of Fairhaven who entered a restored train that use to be part of Buttonwood Park in New Bedford. The train ran on a track at the park from 1952 to 1958. The train pulled two 1956 restored bumper cars and two 1956 restored Tilt-O-Whirl carriages. Guard received a $100 check for coming in Best of Show.
Mr. Guard, wearing a train engineer’s hat, promptly called out to Jody Dickerson, head of the Marion Recreation Department and asked him to come forward. Guard gave Dickerson the check and shook his hand. “I want to donate this to the department,” said Guard. “Thank you so very, very much,” said Dickerson. Guard has two sons who live in Marion and had young family members riding in the cars. Guard also won a trophy for Most Original.
Winners included:
Best in Parade: Joe Guard with his Train, bumper cars and Tilt-O-Wheel cars
Most Original: First Place: Joe Guard with his Train, bumper cars and Tilt-O-Wheel cars; Second Place: Yankee Clipper with Al Hamer; Third Place: John Gibbons
Marching Band: First Place: Portuguese American Band directed by Dan Ferreira; Second Place Marion Marching Band; Third Place: The Relics, a local band
Color Guard: First Place: Marion Police Color Guard; Second Place: Marion Boy Scout Troop 32; Third Place: Marion Girl Scouts
Commercial: First Place: Countryside Child Care Center; Second Place: Alex Race; Third Place: Papa’s Fuels; Fourth Place: Papa’s Lawn Care
Tractors: First Place: Cam Bacchiocchi Second Place: David Rawcliffe; Third Place: Kala Souza; Fourth Place: James Gonneville
Antique Vehicles: First Place: Steve Cook; Second Place: Matt Nowick; Third Place: Ray Pittsley; Fourth Place: Dave Kinney
Antique Fire Engines: First Place: Bob Pittsley; Second Place: Howard Smith;
Historical: First Place: Sippican Historical Society’s float celebrating their 50th Anniversary; Second Place: Chris Frost
Antique Fire Engines: First Place: Bob Pittsley; Second Place: Howard Smith
Family Group: First Place: Michael Forand. Second Place: Joan Gardner. Third Place: Chris Washburn; Fourth Place: Chris Front
Civic Group: First Place: Marion Art Center; Second Place: Marion Recreation Department
Military Vehicles: First Place: Scott Snyder. Second Place: Kirby & Carolyn Gilmore.
Civic Vehicles: First Place: Marion Fire Department; Second Place: Rochester Fire Department
By Joan Hartnett-Barry
