By ROD LEE

For months on end, with little fanfare developing, there was understandable concern in some quarters about whether the town of Northbridge’s 250th-anniversary parade and fireworks would come together as hoped.

Not to worry; the event was in capable hands—those of members of a committee headed by Selectwoman Alicia Cannon.

Above, chosen as grand marshal, Ken Warchol addresses the audience as Northbridge’s 250th anniversary parade gets started in Church St. in downtown Whitinsville.

When the big moment finally arrived, on Saturday, July 16th, the blare of fire engines leading the way on Main St. and Church St., and the sight of spectators lined up to shout and wave their approval, served as ratification that the event would be a smash hit.

“It went off without a hitch,” Lt. Tony Genga of the Northbridge Fire Department and a member of the 250th Anniversary Committee, said. “We had over three hundred participants in the parade. All of them showed up on time and assembled and the Northbridge Fire Department, the DPW, the police did a great job and we had a lot of good sponsors. We had a late start (getting organized), we wish we had more time.”

 Beverly Graveson, Yasmine Graveson and Alexus Burditt share a perch on a wall in front of UniBank, for a good view of the parade.

Lt. Genga commended state legislators Michael Moore, David Muradian Jr. and Ryan Fattman for “coming through really big” with the $25,000 that was needed for the fireworks, and UniBank for taking on the role of main sponsor.

“I’m glad it’s over but I enjoyed it while it was happening. I can’t think of anything that went wrong. I was very surprised,” he said.

Lt. Genga also noted that his wife, Christy, played an important role with marketing, social media publicity and fundraising.

“All roads lead to Northbridge!” UniBank President and CEO Mike Welsh said, before introducing Grand Marshal Ken Warchol—a logical choice for that honor given Mr. Warchol’s longstanding work with the Northbridge Historical Society. Mr. Warchol invoked the name of Peter Hackett, which he often does, as a person whose vision paved the way for the town and the Blackstone Valley’s eventual acceptance as a U.S. national park.

The 250th Anniversary Committee’s largely unsung labors resulted in a steady stream of floats, many of them representing local businesses and organizations. Foxy Travel, the Whitinsville Social Library, the Northbridge Senior Center, the Family Karate Center, Carr Funeral Home, Harbro Auto Sales, Shaw’s, Tom Berkowitz Trucking, Crothers Tire, West End Creamery, Morrissette & Son, Vanderzicht Towing, Cappy’s Auto, Nydam Oil, Koopman Lumber.

There were tractors. There were politicians. There was the Boston Firemen’s Band. There was candy being thrown to children. 

Urged to call it a morning as the action hit a brief lull, one woman was heard to say “I’m not leaving. I’m sitting right here. I’m not done yet.”

Contact Rod Lee at [email protected] or 774-232-2999.