WESTFIELD — The Hampton Ponds Association will host its 67th annual Fourth of July parade on Friday, July 4, and will feature decorated floats, a tribute to local veterans, a raffle and speeches by local officials.
The parade starts at 10 a.m. at Hampton Ponds Plaza, marches down North Road (Route 202) and finishes in the Froggy’s Saloon parking lot.
“This will be a fun and nostalgic event. We’re celebrating America’s birthday,” said Hampton Ponds Association member Rick Epstein about this year’s parade, which takes place rain or shine.
This year’s parade marshals are Jorge and Rosana Alvarado, the owners/operators of the Hampton Ponds Market.
“When they opened the market in 2020, it immediately filled a void in the area by offering our community a complete grocery store with prepared food,” Epstein said.
“Since opening, they have been very supportive of our community and our fundraising efforts,” he added.
Like a traditional parade, Epstein said there will be fire trucks from the Westfield and Southampton Fire departments, with emergency lights flashing and sirens blaring, cruisers from the Westfield Police Department, local farmers with their tractors, and friends and neighbors participating, and, of course, floats.
This year, the parade will have several decorated boats, floats from various organizations, and music — yes, in the parade — performed by Sarah the Fiddler, Isabell Boggs, a faculty member of the Westfield School of Music and the Aquatudes, a surf-rock band from central Connecticut who play rock ‘n roll.
He also urged children in the area to decorate their bicycles, tricycles or scooters and participate in the parade.
“We’ll be awarding trophies to the kids who have the best decorated bike or scooter,” Epstein said.
Those who attend can also show their appreciation for local veterans who will march representing the country and their veteran organizations.
After the parade, there will be a celebration at the Froggy’s Saloon and there will be a ceremony to honor veterans, free refreshments and snacks, he said.
There will be a surprise raffle for an item provided by Hampton Ponds Market will take place after the veterans ceremony at Froggy’s.
During the celebration, Westfield Mayor Michael McCabe and state Sen. John Velis (D-Westfield) will make remarks. Southampton’s Carol Barcomb will sing “Proud to Be an American.”
The culmination of the celebration will be a scholarship presentation by the Hampton Ponds Association to local high school students.
The recipients of the Hampton Ponds Association Scholarship, which is $750, are Emerson Lynn, Cian Callahan and Logan Bermudez-Lizardi.
The recipient of the Lambert Pezzini Memorial Scholarship is Lucas Morganelli, and the recipient of the Dionne Family Scholarship is Mason Jacquier.
“People who want to have a great time should bring a chair and come early for the best place to enjoy the parade,” Epstein said.
