Carol Brown with a member of the Shriners parade crew at the post Parade cookout at the Manchester Masonic Hall in 2019, after the Town of Essex Bicentennial Parade.
The “Plus One” year to celebrate Manchester’s 375th Anniversary is soon coming to an end, with the grand finale parade through town and community cook out scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday, September 25.
The parade will kick off at the corner of Lincoln and Vine Streets, and then follow the usual route of the Fourth of July Parade: Vine Street to School Street, across Pleasant Street and down Pine Street, continuing along Central Street to Union Street, up to Norwood Avenue and down to Brook Street, ending at Coach Field playground behind the new Memorial School.
There will be Antique Cars and Fire Department apparatus, Bagpipers, a Steel Drum Band, a delegation of the Aleppo Shriners Parade Crew, including the Motor Patrol Clowns, the Fire Brigade, Aleppo Cycles and more, American Legion Color Guard accompanied by a Drum Squad, our distinguished Board of Selectmen and legislative representatives. No parade would be complete without floats: neighborhood floats, family floats, floats representing local businesses, services, and organizations, and floats featuring our athletic teams.
At the end of the parade, at Coach Field Playground, there will be entertainment by the Danvers High School Marching Band, a special musical guest, and then the awarding of prizes to the winning floats in the parade.
Organizers are encouraging anyone and everyone to consider entering a float. There is still time: go to the Manchester town website, in the Information Center section and click on the logo for the Anniversary Parade and register your float.
To complete a perfect day, after the parade, the Manchester Masonic Lodge and the Manchester American Legion welcome the town to a Post Parade Cookout at the Legion Hall featuring lobster or steak, beverages, and music. The cookout will be held both outside, under a tent, and inside the hall. More details will follow in next week’s edition of the Cricket.
Todd Crane of the Manchester Masonic Lodge said the organization is excited to host the cookout. “The 375th anniversary Committee has worked hard work over the past year and a half and to the American Legion for supporting the post parade cookout. We hope to see you all after the parade on September 25.”
375th Committee Co-Chair Susan Thorne agreed: “Let’s come together as a community and be a part of this final event in the more than a year-long celebration of our town’s history.”
