By Rod Lee

What the weatherman threw at the organizers of the town of Sutton’s dog-mayor parade, fireworks and other activities on June 26th in terms of broiling temperatures was no match for the event’s appeal to residents. They came in droves. They set up lawn chairs along Boston Road. They congregated in the center for cow-chip bingo tickets, food, beverages and ice cream from Julia Moriconis’s truck.

 

“It was a very busy, crazy day (and HOT!!),” Coleen Tarentino said. “Great attendance, awesome feedback—the fireworks were outstanding, just a great, great day!”

The newly elected mayor himself, Waffles, adorned in his “official” bandana, presided over the ceremonies.

The mood in the moments directly before the parade began around four o’clock was anticipatory, reflecting all that was worth looking forward to.

Gathered beneath a tent, Barry Marando, an eighty-year resident of Sutton, said “if anything goes on in town, we know about it.” Joining Mr. Marando were Jan Marando (“I was born on Buttonwood Ave.), Butch Marando and Cindy Marando.

On the Common, Megan Berg and Sarah Gillespie were busy selling cow chip bingo tickets and trying to ignore the heat.

“We’re with 4H, we’re Sutton preservationists,” they said. “Our kids are showing their cows in the parade. Our goal is six hundred tickets sold. We’re not there yet!”

Occupying a spot alongside a line of food trucks, Julia Moriconis said “my business is in Tatnuck Square in Worcester. We make everything from scratch. I’ve been doing ice cream for two years. I’m more mobile than ever.”

Ms. Tarentino gave credit to Jonathan Rocheleau and April Eaton Brown as “the two individuals who cooked up this whole affair. They first held the parade and fireworks in 2019, the next two years were delayed because of Covid, and so this was its sophomore year. I cannot say enough about how lucky Sutton is to have these two amongst the townspeople. They are terrific people, dedicated, hardworking, the salt of the earth. This event would never have happened without all their hard work, heart and soul.”

Back for the first time since 2019, the town of Sutton’s parade and fireworks drew a large turnout despite 90-degree temperatures.