Bring the whole family to the 19th annual Park Road Parade on Saturday, October 7, 2017. The one-hour parade steps off at 10:30 AM, at Ringgold Street and ends at South Quaker Lane.
Over 100 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 over 7,000 people to Park Road neighborhood.
This year's Grand Marshal is Heidi Voight, anchor, NBC Connecticut Today. She can be seen weekday mornings from 4:30-7:00 a.m. alongside co-anchor Ted Koppy and First Alert Meteorologist Bob Maxon.
A Connecticut native with a passion for storytelling, Heidi is a journalist with experience in nearly every position in the newsroom. As a multimedia journalist, Heidi covered the aftermath of numerous natural disasters in New England including the 2011 Halloween Nor’easter and Tropical Storm Irene. In 2011, she was the first reporter live on the scene after a deadly EF3 tornado hit the south end of Springfield, Massachusetts with coverage that contributed to an Emmy award-winning newscast.
A firm believer that journalism can and should make the world a better place, Heidi uses her platform to advance numerous charitable causes and uncover compelling human interest stories.
In addition to her role as anchor for NBC Connecticut she also serves as a reporter and host of the Clear The Shelters Pet of the Week and Community Connection segments, connecting NBC Connecticut viewers to charitable causes throughout the state. In recognition of her efforts, Heidi was recently inducted into the Gertrude O. Lewis Humanitarian Society, the highest honor bestowed by the Connecticut Humane Society, and was named one of Connecticut Magazine’s “40 Under 40.”
Heidi was born and raised in Milford, the "Small City with a Big Heart" on Connecticut's beautiful shoreline. She is a proud graduate of Southern Connecticut State University and represented our state at the Miss America Pageant as Miss Connecticut 2006.
A parade would not be complete without music. The 2017 Park Road Parade will feature the University of Hartford’s Brazilian Samba Band, Conard High School 9th Grade and Sedgwick Middle School 8th Grade combined band, Connecticut Valley Field Music, Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy Golden Phoenix, Sphinx Shriners False Alarmers, Manchester Regional Police & Fire Pipe Band, Windsor Fife & Drum, Colonel John Chester Fife and Drum Corps., GRaviToNiK, Red Hot Horns, Colchester Fife & Drum, Rob the Drummer, The Boys of Wexford and Trevor “The Games Man” Stilt Walker.
Awards are given each year to Best Float, Best Overall Performance, Best Costume, Best Musical Performance, and Best Community Spirit. Playhouse on Park will be judging and emceeing the parade from the review stand.
West Hartford Community TV will broadcast the parade live and replay it in October.
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.
The Playhouse on Park, 244 Park Road, will be giving away free popcorn on their patio. Mr. Sparkle, 191 Park Road, will be outside giving away free water bottles and free car wash coupons, and Edible Arrangements, 282 Park Road, are giving out fruit cups.
A parade of this magnitude involves a lot of volunteers and sponsors. A big “thank you” goes out to all of them.
Handicap parking is available at 120 Park Road. 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.
For more information, please call Renée McCue at 860-561-7521 or Tony Landino at 860-966-4582, or visit www.ParkRoadCT.com/events and Like Us on Facebook!
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About the Parade:
The genesis of the Park Road Parade started in 1998 as a celebration of the completion of a two-year road reconstruction and beautification project which bonded both businesses and residents of the area. The project spanned Prospect Avenue to South Quaker Lane and included a new pavement, streetlights, and sidewalks. The theme then and now is to celebrate the neighborhood: its diversity of people, businesses and culture. Bring the whole family to this wonderful celebration of West Hartford!