nothin Simpsons Invade The Cove For Halloween | New Haven Independent

Simpsons Invade The Cove For Halloween

Allan Appel Photo

Is that Marge & co. — or the Cross and Cox families?

Bart and Lisa patiently waited to climb a small set of steps up to a porch of a trim white house where an odd couple, a witch and Santa who lived there, gave them candies.

Hey Bart!” cried out their grandfather. What you get for me?”

Bart said he got nothing. Lisa, naturally, offered up a coveted miniature Milky Way.

Girls are nicer to their grandfathers for sure,” declared Grandpa Simpson as he took the treat into his yellow-gloved hands.

That family drama Tuesday evening unfolded as the nine — count em — family members for whom Laura Cross had fashioned vivid Simpson costumes participated in the city’s annual Halloween parade down Townsend Avenue in Morris Cove.

First-time witches, by the water, Laura DePonte and Lume Vrekaj

The parade kicked off at the Sea Wall on Parker Street and ran down to Durso’s Fuel and Repairs gas station near where Townsend curves east toward Lighthouse Point. (Click here for a report on a new trunk or treat” tradition held across town in Edgewood Park.)

East Shore Management Team President Lisa Milone estimated the Morris Cove parade has been taking place between 25 and 30 years, and has become an elaborate affair drawing much of the neighborhood. (Click here for a story on last year’s extravaganza.)

The parade, which radiated along side streets and sent trick-or-treaters up to Townsend Avenue halfway to the highway, is funded mainly by proceeds from the East Shore Management team’s summer barbecue, reported Lisa Milone.

This year additional funds were provided by friends and admirers of Douglas Markey. For the last 20 years, Milone said, Markey known for dressing up at parade time as the tall pumpkin man. He died this year. Iin lieu of flowers, friends and family asked people to donate further to support this year’s parade.

And who knew there were so many Simpsons living in Morris Cove?

Not only Homer and Marge and Bart and Lisa. Also baby Maggie and Marge’s sister Selma, Millhouse, and Ned Flanders, and, of course, Grandpa Simpson — aka Bob Tetrault, who came down from Middlebury for the sheer joy of dressing up as someone you’re not.

Apu was also around, as was another Homer from another Simpson family group.

The second Homer was late arriving. He was at the bar, Marge said —bragging a Duff’s beer, of course.

A house on Concord Street.

The Crosses and their children were competing in the family category of a contest held in conjunction with the parade. The legions of other make-believers — zombies, princesses, witches, punk rockers, donuts — all marched by grade. Families who were all done up as units marched at the end of the parade.

At Durso’s garage all received accolades. A few in each category received prizes in the form of gift certificates to local stores.

This year’s master of ceremonies was Morris Cove community activist John Cirello. Mayor Toni Harp stood among the judges applauding the annual parade, which draws trick-or-treating families from surrounding towns.

Punk rockers Claudia Bosch, Kevin Buterbaugh and kid rockers Lucas and Charlotte.

The inventive Cross family has in past years won the coveted gift certificates dressed as Muppets, Munsters, members of the band KISS, and Lego pieces.

It’s a challenge, especially if you have a large family and want to strut your costume stuff as a unit, to come up with a theme that provides sufficiently different roles. That’s one of the reasons the Crosses chose the Simpsons them, said Grandpa Simpson. The adults came up with the idea, although the kids had veto power, which they chose not to exercise.

Competitive tension mounted as the paraders formed up by the seawall, all the while eyeing each other. Various witches stopped to be photographed by the waters of New Haven Harbor.

Early attention was being paid to Kendall Kaminsky, who wearied of being a bat girl last year and decided this season to become what she loves: a box of donuts. Anything with frosting,” said her grandmother.

Roko and Matija Kelly, captain and princess.

Roko Kelley, 6, decided he wanted to be a boat of some kind; he ended up as the Titanic. His sister Matija, younger by a year, knew with clarity she would be a princess.

As the sky grew dark, the fifth and sixth-grade contingents were off down Townsend towards Durso’s, led by Sofia Inzitari, as a unicorn, and her pal Delia Cofrancesco, zombie princess with corsage.

Both girls, along with their family entourages, now live in Guilford. They grew up in the Cove, and to the Cove they continue to return at Halloween time.

As the family groups proceeded, the Simpsons were stopped several times by onlookers calling out: I have to take a picture!” Millhouse, aka Elijah Cross, said wearing the costume was the best part of the event.

Sofia, as unicorn, center, and Delia, zombie princess.

Halfway to the endpoint of the parade — beyond Durso’s the fire station offered candies and coffee — Millhouse tugged on Marge’s sleeve because he had a heard a big compliment: These are the most amazing costumes!”

Laura Cross, who works in human resources, appreciated the feedback: She said she had been at work on the nine costumes for a full month.

At the finish line, the Simpsons and other family groups awaited to be called up as the fifth and sixth grade contingents were being judged and given their applause and awards.

A reporter asked Grandpa Simpson whether, when his nine-member group’s turn came, whether they would do a little routine to catch the judges’ attention.

He thought a moment, recalling past parades, and said they could. His granddaughters Maggie and Lisa (Vivian and Fiona Cox) are in fact going to appear in the New Haven Ballet’s December production of The Nutcracker.

But, no, they planned simply to step up, nine Simpsons strong, and present their long, yellow, glowing presence.

Their turn arrived. There was surprising competition from a family that had pulled up the rear of the parade in a boat bigger than Roko Kelley’s Titanic — a cruise ship with at least three kids in sailor caps who peeked out through the portholes.

Another large family arrived wearing sombreros, black face paint, and austere black sombreros with rings of decoration that glowed silver in the lamlight. What’s this?” called out emcee Cirello. Ah, Day of the Dead.”

Nearby a competing Simpson family, a Marge and Homer joined by their pal Apu, was also inching slowly toward Cirello.

This is a tough one, Cirello acknowledged. He turned to the judges for their decision. They consulted and conveyed their decision to him.

The cruise ship won third place; the Day of the Dead, second place.

And the Cross/Simpson family prevailed again, just as it had last year.

Asked for a comment, family spokesperson Maggie (Fiona Cox), declared: Happy Halloween!” Then she and the rest of the kids went off, house by house, to trick or treat.

Other Simpson and family group competitors.

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