Photos by Bill O’Brien
Once again the town of Branford will hold a Veterans’ Day Parade. This year’s parade will be held on Sunday, Nov. 11, with a ceremony beginning at 1 p.m. on the front Green with the parade stepping off at 1:30 pm. “We will have six musical marching units participating and there will be several floats,” said Veterans’ Day Parade Committee chairman Bill O’Brien.
“We’re one of the few towns left in Connecticut that has a parade on Veterans Day,” said O’Brien. Last year the committee told the residents that it might be the last year of a parade on Veterans’ Day if more people didn’t attend. Even though it rained earlier in the day it held off until after the speaking program ended, but the committee agreed to march in the steady light rain.
It was obvious there was a bigger crowd than the year before. “People turned out even with the rain and we felt, ‘if they can do it we can do it’, so we marched,” said O’Brien. The parade will head west on Main Street to North Harbor Street, then return to the Green and be dismissed.
This year there will be six musical marching units…
Stony Creek Fife and Drum Corps the 2nd Company Governors Foot Guard, Branford High School Marching Band, East Shoreline Catholic Academy Fife and Drum Corps (formerly St Mary’s School Fife and Drum Corps), and Totoket Ancient Fife and Drum Corps. The Branford Town Band will not march but will perform Military songs on the Green during the parade.
Other units in the parade include a Take a Vet Fishing float, a Branford Garden Club float…
Antique and Vintage cars, Elks Lodge #1939 members, members of the Knights of Columbus…
members of the Branford Fire Companies and a number of Girl and Boy Scouts, as well as Brownies and Cub Scouts.
Pastor Steve Chamberlain of the Evangelical Free Church will deliver the Invocation and benediction, Selectman Jamie Cosgrove will give greetings, and…
American Legion Post 83 Commander Donald Langlois
American Legion Post 83 Commander Donald Langlois will give the Address. Capt. Vincent Giordano will serve as the Master of Ceremonies.
Beginning at 9 a.m. members of the committee will conduct ceremonies at the town’s seven cemeteries, concluding with the laying of wreaths and the playing of Taps. There will also be a Naval Memorial Service on the South Montowese Street Bridge beginning at 12:15 p.m.
In case of inclement weather, ceremonies will be moved to the High School gymnasium beginning at 1 p.m.
Great Job by all volunteers. Thank you for continuing this tradition and acknowledgment of all veterans. I will be there to cheer you on!