Fall Foliage Festival Calling on All Grand Marshals
 This year's Fall Foliage Parade will celebrate the parade's 60-year history. |
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The annual Fall Foliage Festival Parade will celebrate its own history as the theme of its 60th anniversary.
The festival, the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and the city of North Adams are celebrating the hard work that has gone into the parade over the years by inviting all past parade grand marshals to lead the parade on Sunday, Oct. 4.
The 60th anniversary theme will emphasize the rich history of the parade and focus on the amazing community that continues to be dedicated to the success of the annual event.
"Our special 60th anniversary parade will reflect on the past and allow us to showcase the evolution of the festival," said Parade Director Danielle Thomas. "We're thrilled to be inviting all of our past grand marshals to lead the effort, as it allows us to pay homage to the amazing community members and volunteers who have been steadfastly committed to delivering and enjoying a quality parade year after year."
Recent marshals have included former U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, Dr. Richard Ziter, former Gov. Jane Swift, former Mayor John Barrett III, former state Rep. Daniel Bosley, Paul W. Marino and Ron Plock. The late U.S. Rep. Silvio O. Conte was the first parade marshal in 1959.
The parade invited past grand marshals to return in 2005 for its golden anniversary. It did not have marshals in its first three years.
All past grand marshals are asked to contact Thomas at 413-499-1600, Ext. 126, or dthomas@1berkshire.com as soon as possible.
The annual parade is coordinated by the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce with a volunteer committee.
"The Berkshire Chamber takes great pride in working with the city of North Adams to present the Fall Foliage Parade each year," said Jonathan Butler, president & CEO of the Berkshire Chamber. "It's a great tradition in North County and we're proud to play a role in attracting visitors and serving community members for an exciting family-friendly Downtown event that celebrates our beloved foliage and the strength of this community."
Last year's Fall Foliage parade was the one of the largest and best attended in recent years, and the momentum is growing with thousands of Berkshire residents and visitors planning to attend the annual parade.
The parade will step off on Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. from the Ocean State Job Lot parking lot at 830 Curran Highway, and continue north on Curran Highway to Main Street.
With so many tasks still ahead, the committee welcomes volunteers to help with the parade effort. For more information on the parade or to volunteer, contact Thomas or visit www.fallfoliageparade.com.
