Park Road Parade In West Hartford On Saturday

WEST HARTFORD, CT — (Contributed article): Bring the whole family to the 20th annual Park Road Parade on Saturday, Oct. 6. The one-hour parade steps off at 10:30 a.m. at Ringgold Street and ends at South Quaker Lane. More than 70 contingents are expected to march in this year’s parade. The parade features bands, clowns, dancers, floats, dogs of all shapes and sizes, antique cars, color guards, businesses, civic and cultural organizations and town and state officials. Each year the parade draws more than 7,000 people to Park Road neighborhood.

A parade would not be complete without music. The 2018 Park Road Parade will feature the University of Hartford’s Brazilian Samba Band, Hall High School 9th Grade and King Phillip Middle School 8th Grade combined band, Connecticut Valley Field Music, Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy Golden Phoenix, Hartford Hot Several Brass Band, Sphinx Shriner Brass Band, Manchester Regional Police & Fire Pipe Band, Windsor Fife & Drum, Colchester Fife & Drum, Rob the Drummer, False Alarmers of the Sphinx Shriners and The Boys of Wexford. To sign up for West Hartford breaking news alerts and more, click here.

Awards are given each year to Best Float, Best Overall Performance, Best Costume, Best Musical Performance, and Best Community Spirit. Darlene Zoller and Sean Harris from Playhouse on Park will be judging and emceeing the parade. West Hartford Community TV will be airing the parade live on Comcast Channel 5.

The fun continues after the parade at Effie’s Restaurant, 91 Park Road, where The Boys of Wexford will be singing Irish songs, sea shanties and folk music.

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The Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, will be giving away free popcorn on their patio.

A parade of this magnitude involves a lot of volunteers and sponsors. A big “thank you” goes out to all of them. The 2018 sponsors are Effie's Place Family Restaurant, LAZ Parking, Udolf Properties, Webster Bank, Fresh Ink and Sparkle West, LLC (Mr. Sparkle), Open Arms Christian Ministries, West Hartford Travel Basketball, Joey’s Pizza Pie, Body & Sole Day Spa, Shop Rite, West Hartford Police Association, Simsbury Bank, Fuller Yoga, Zest 280, Ringgold Crescent Partners, and Nutmeg State Financial Credit Union.

Handicap parking is available at 120 Park Road. Spectator parking is located on Richard, Crosby, Gillette and Ringgold Streets and Oakwood Avenue (south of Crosby Street). There is also ample parking on the arterial streets north of Boulevard between South Highland and South Quaker. Public restrooms are located at Effie’s Restaurant, 91 Park Road, A.C. Petersen Restaurant, 240 Park Road, Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, and Three Ladies Antiques, 328 Park Road.

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