PUTNAM — As it has for more than a decade, the Northeastern Connecticut Holiday Dazzle Light Parade on Sunday will illuminate downtown Putnam with more than 130 expected participants and thousands of attendees.The 16th iteration of the seasonal event will kick off at 5 p.m., winding its way from Grove Street, through downtown and ending at the Owen Tarr Sports Complex near Providence and School streets.
The parade, a collaborative effort of WINY Radio 1350am and the town’s recreation department, typically attracts up to 12,000 revelers who begin lining the parade route hours before the first float steps off.
Gary Osbrey, owner of WINY Radio and founder of the parade who got his start at WNRI 1380AM in
Woonsocket, RI, said the idea for the event came after viewing a nighttime Disney World parade.
“I thought it was so cool and said to myself, ‘We can do this in Putnam,‘” he said. “I scouted out light parades in the state — I think there were only two at the time — and pitched the idea to the town. A few years later they said ‘Let’s do it.’”
That first year, Osbrey was hoping to attract 25 participants and ended up with 65 people signing up to march.
“I think the continued popularity of the event is we have a come-as-you-are attitude, with no contest for best float,” he said. “We appreciate the guy from Wodstock who wants to bring put lights on his tractor and bring it down as much as we are happy to see the most extravagantly-decorated float.”
Carrying on its tradition of honoring local groups and individuals, the parade committee this year chose the Cargill Council No. 64 Knights of Columbus as the event’s grand marshal.
No comments:
Post a Comment