School Closing Conte Middle School in North Adams will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 3, as the investigation into a mercury spill continues.
The North Adams School Committee this evening at 7 will be held in the City Council chambers.
Light'em Up! North Adams kicks off the holiday season with its annual treelighting on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 5:30 p.m.
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NORTH ADAMS — Thousands lined Curran Highway, Main Street and Ashland Street on Sunday to watch more than 120 marching units and floats make their way north and through the downtown in the 53rd annual Fall Foliage Festival Parade.
Some of the spectators boasted the number of years they had attended the traditional event. One young man had been all 23 years of his life.
Beverly Demarsico, who lived in Adams and North Adams, has been coming for 40 years, "since my kids were little."
The Bergerons of Leominster began attending the parade through their connection with the Fraternal Order of Eagles; the local aerie on the parade route has been holding Fall Foliage dances, breakfasts and barbecues for decades. "We've been coming for a few years, before the 50th anniversary," said Ann Bergeron, sitting across road from the Eagles on Curran Highway with her family. "We come up every now and again. We were up here in the pouring rain."
Marcia Lescarbeau topped the list, having attended or participated in the parade for the past 51 years. "I've never missed one," said Lescarbeau.
(The parade has been canceled once in recent memory when a freak snowstorm hit the Berkshires on parade day in 1987.)
The North Adams native had marched in the parade in 1957 as part of the Drury High School band. She then directed the front of the band up until about four years ago.
With Lescarbeau, were Art and Diane Fuleihan from Williamstown, who attended to support retiring Drury band director Carl Jenkins.
"He's an icon in this area," said Art Fuleihan.
Along with Berkshire natives were newcomers to the parade — the most noticeable being Gov. Deval Patrick, who walked in the parade for the first time.
"It's a gorgeous day, the weather is coopeative, the leaves are turning, the crowd is excited," said the governor. "I'm glad to be here."
"He's going to check out that bridge he's fixing," joked Mayor John Barrett III, referring to the Hadley Overpass over which the parade marches each year. The deteriorating state bridge was fast-tracked for repairs through the governor's initiative to streamline the project planning process. Barrett had said Thursday at the $24 million project's groundbreaking that he hoped the governor would get a chance to walk over the old bridge one last time.
Last year, Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray and his wife and two young daughters had marched in the parade. Patrick's appearance (without first lady Diane Patrick or his daughters) seemed to indicate a thaw in his relations with Barrett and state Rep. Daniel E. Bosley, D-North Adams, which soured over issues like casino gambling and a city employee's controversial pension.
A casually dressed Patrick was warmly welcomed by both men as they posed with the children and police officers from the North Adams Police Department's float — a replica of the Gerard D. Downing Ropes Course that won the Harry S. Orr Award.
The parade start at Wal-Mart was the usual scramble of getting everybody in the right place at the right time. Rod Bunt, in his second year as parade director, said it was all going like clockwork.
"Absolutely fabulous, just like they always do, no surprises, no logistical nightmares," said Bunt, head of the Mayor's Office of Tourism, though he admitted there was one minor issue, "scooping up after the horses."
This year's theme was "Salute to Sports Fans," though the floats seemed as much about sports as the fans. They ranged from fishing to the Olympics to soccer to couch potatoes to the eternal Red Sox/Yankee rivalry. There was even a cascade of giant Crackerjacks (fan food!) from Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Arts.
The grand marshal was former Major League Baseball Commissioner Fay Vincent, a Williams College alumnus and part-time Williamstown resident. "I'm flattered and honored," said Vincent, sitting in a car next to James A. Stakenas, vice president of administration and finance of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. "I'm happy to be here. I think these are wonderful events to bond people together, bring the community together."
Stakenas said he got the honor of driving the grand marshal almost at the last minute because someone at the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce remembered he owned a convertible.
Also among the marchers were District Attorney David E. Capeless and his wife, Betsy. They brought their Labrador retreiver "Willie" (named for Willie Mays — "and Ted Williams," said Capeless) who was eager to greet anyone in licking distance. U.S. Rep. John W. Olver, D-Amherst, was on hand as well as state Sen. Benjamin B. Downing, D-Pittsfield, North Adams city councilors (including Gailanne Cariddi who snapped photos along the way for a "parade inside-out" album).
There was a snazzy 1951 Ford state police cruiser leading the way, color guards, plenty of fire trucks and cruisers blasting sirens, bands of many types and music, and the beloved Shriners with their colorful assortment of noisy, large, tiny and big-wheeled vehicles.
Photo by Lyndsay DeBord
Kathy O'Connor, left, James and Beverly O'Connor and Annika Nunes of Fall River.
At the start, the mayor noted the many chairs set up along the route early on (by 9 the night before, Main Street was lined with lawn chairs) and said officials were "anticipating a big crowd." With Vincent as grand marshal and the "surprise visit" by the governor, "we're going to have a good day."
Beverly and James O'Connor made the trip from Fall River to North Adams for the fourth year. This time, their daughter Kathy O'Connor and granddaughter Annika Nunes came with the family for their first visit to the Berkshires.
"It's definitely a different energy from the city," said Kathy O'Connor.
According to the O'Connors, Aunica had told her teachers she was excited to see the parade and the mountains. Beverly and James O'Connor had happened on the parade four years ago when vacationing in the Berkshires. Beverly said she enjoys the scenery of the Berkshire region and plans to return and vacation in Williamstown.
"It's beautiful up here," said James, who added that the parade may become a new family tradition.
Thanks for the interview and for posting our photo.We really enjoyed the Parade and spending the day up in the Berkshires. As we told you we will return in a couple of weeks to spend a long weekend in the area. You made us feel welcome and like celebrities. Annika will be talking about her trip forever. Once again from all of us A BIG THANKYOU
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North Adams kicks off the holiday season with its annual treelighting on 
Passionate about local sports? Into the environment? Obsessive about local meetings?
