A Big Boot and New Parking Plans for Patriots' Day

Duck boats are often associated with celebratory parades in the Boston area. Duck boots? Not so much. But that could change Monday, April 16, when L.L. Bean brings its bootmobile to Lexington for the Patriots' Day Parade.

The history's long been written, but is a work in progress for the people plan the day's events, and a couple of changes this year include the addition of more handicapped parking and the Bean's big 'ol boot on wheels.

Each year on Patriots' Day, thousands of people visit Lexington for the re-enactments, parades, pancakes, races and assorted other events. While the bulk of the action goes down in the town center, there's so much activity it can be a bit of a challenge to travel between the easternmost municipal parking and the .

With that in mind, the earlier this week announced plans to increase the number of parking spaces designated for handicapped persons at the Meriam Street end of the municipal lot. The exact number of spaces is still to be determined, but they'll be marked and attended from 4 a.m. on, according to Sgt. Paul Callahan, who's involved in the event planning.

Now, on to the boot.

Shortly after launching its 100th anniversary celebration in January, L.L.Bean declared Lexington the “Beanest Town in America," in recognition the nation's highest average annual household spending on L.L. Bean products. For those wondering, that's about $60 per household, according to PR person repping the company.

If being the "Beanest Town in America," wasn't enough, L.L.Bean has also decided to honor Lexington with a visit from Bootmobile during the company’s centennial year.

The Bootmobile, which looks like a giant duck boot on wheels, will ride in Lexington's annual Patriots' Day parade on Monday.