Parade History

Previous Parades

  • Grand Marshal: Carolee Mason

    Chairperson: Nicole Kullgren

  • Grand Marshals: Jim & Sue Shortt

    Chairperson: Nick Kopick

  • Grand Marshal: Monsignor Robert E. Weiss

    Chair Person: Nick Kopick

  • Grand Marshal: Bob & Margot Hall

    Chairperson: Nick Kopcik

  • Cancelled due to the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and a lack of volunteer resources to organize the event in time

  • Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic

  • Grand Marshal: Chief Bill Halstead

    Chairperson: Nick Kopcik

  • Grand Marshal: Eunice Laverty

    Chairperson: Nick Kopick

  • Grand Marshal: Lee Paulsen

    Chairperson: Nick Kopick

  • Grand Marshal: Dr. Bob Grossman

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Ruth Newquist

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Sydney Eddison

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Town of Newtown

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Kevin’s Community Center

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Lee Glover

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Marge Rogers

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Julia Wasserman

    Chairperson: Beth Caldwell

  • Grand Marshal: Mae Schmidle

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl

  • Grand Marshal: Judge William J. Lavery

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl

  • Grand Marshal: Pat Barkman

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl

  • Grand Marshal: Mary Hawley (posthumously)

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

  • Grand Marshal: Gordon Williams

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

  • Grand Marshals: Rosanne Loring, Debbie Richardson

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

  • Grand Marshal: Scudder Smith

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

  • Grand Marshal: Mary Mitchell, Al Goodrich

    Chairperson:
    Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

  • Grand Marshal:  Dan Cruson

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

  • 1999,  A Picture Perfect Town

    Grand Marshal: David Merrill

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

    1998, Newtown Celebrates the Flagpole

    Grand Marshal: Dave Lydem

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

    1997, Newtown Our Town

    Grand Marshal: Ginny Lathrop

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

    1996, Newtown, The Place to be on Labor Day

    Grand Marshal: Jim/Joan Crick

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

    1995, Newtown – Tradition Starts Here

    Grand Marshal: Shirley Ferris

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl, Lisa Franze

    1994, These Are a Few of Our Favorite Things

    Grand Marshal:  Robert & Caroline Stokes

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl

    1993, Newtown, Young & Old, Growing Together

    Grand Marshal:  Jim & Betty Lou Osbourne

    Chairperson: Kym Stendahl

    1992, Let’s Have a Parade

    Grand Marshal: Stu & Jean Smith

    Chairpersons: Nancy Riddle, Kym Stendahl

    1991, Newtown, An All American Tradition

    Grand Marshal: Desert Storm Soldiers

    Chairpersons: Cathy Andrews, Pat Denlinge, Joanne Molden, Judy Furlotte

    1990,  Tradition in Newtown

    Grand Marshal: Merlin Fisk

    Chairpersons: Cathy Andrews, Pat Denlinge, Joanne Molden, Judy Furlotte

  • 1989, Newtown, Fun for All Ages

    Grand Marshal: Marvi Fast

    Chairpersons: Cathy Andrews, Pat Denlinge, Joanne Molden, Judy Furlotte

    1988, Newtown,The Place to Be

    Grand Marshal: Sarah Mannix

    Chairpersons: Cathy Andrews, Pat Denlinge, Joanne Molden, Judy Furlotte

    1987, 25th Anniversary of Community Service

    Grand Marshal: Joseph Chase

    Chairperson: Kathy Marusa

    1986, Once Upon A Tradition

    Grand Marshal: Sam & Arlene Eisenbach

    Chairperson: Kathy Marusa

    1985, Newtown, A Town for all Seasons

    Grand Marshal: Harry & Ann Carey

    Chairperson: Marilyn Cieanthes, Cathy Andrews

    1984, Newtown… Naturally

    Grand Marshal: Art & Mary Scherer

    Chairperson: Rich & Dottie Dillon, John & Elizabeth Wefer

    1983

    Grand Marshal: Gil & Ruth Collins

    Chairperson:  Lyden, Tschorns & Hart

    1982

    Grand Marshal: Stan & Evelyn Verry

    1981, Newtown, It’s the Good Life

    Grand Marshal: Tom & Lilly

    Chairperson:  
    Ernie & Jill Baidillo, Brian & Maria Burke

    1980, Newtown, Getting into Shape for the 80’s

    Grand Marshal: Bill & Jean Honan

    Chairperson:  Paul & Elena Zolov, Pete & Jan Watson

  • 1979, All Roads Lead to Newtown

    Grand Marshal: Tom & Lilly

    1978, Reach for the Stars

    Grand Marshal: Bill & Irene Walker

    Chairpersons: Herb & Kathy Rosenthal

    1977, Take Stock in Newtown

    Grand Marshal: Dr. Tom Draper

    Chairpersons: Larry & Gretchen Hyde

    1976, Remember When

    Grand Marshal: Mr & Mrs Edwin Storrs

    Chairpersons: Judy Furlotte

    1975, Mr. & Mrs. George Mattegat

    Grand Marshal: Herbert Cutler

    1974

    Grand Marshal: Mr & Mrs Richard Hibbard

    Chairpersons: Bob McCulloch, Judy Furlotte

    1973, Salute to Town Service Organizations

    Grand Marshal: Mr & Mrs Paul Sniith

    1972

    Grand Marshal: Arthur Bennett Sr.

    Chairpersons:  Bob Rubenstein, Chris Spiro

    1971, Dedicated to the Firemen of Newtown

    Grand Marshal: Chief Glover

    1970

    Grand Marshal: Al Nichols

    Chairpersons: Edward Sullivan

  • 1969

    Grand Marshal: Col. Gilbert Teal  

    1968

    Grand Marshal: Col. Gilbert Teal 

    1967

    ?

    1966 

    Grand Marshal: Clifford Maddox

    Chairperson: Tim Treadwell

    1965

    Grand Marshal: Clifford Maddox

    Chairperson: Robert Dankol

    1964

    Grand Marshal: Robert Reiner

    Chairperson: Dr. Vincent Jablon

    1963, Walk Together, Talk Together

    Grand Marshal: Lee Glover

    Chairperson: Dr. Vincent Jablon

    1962

    Grand Marshal: Lee Glover

    Chairperson: Dr. Vincent Jablon

Article courtesy of The Newtown Bee

An estimated 4,000 people lined the streets of Newtown to view the town’s first-ever Labor Day Parade back on September 3, 1962. John F. Kennedy was in the White House, Fidel Castro had taken power in Cuba, and Lee Glover was in charge here in Newtown…of the parade that is.

Mr. Glover still fondly remembers the town’s first Labor Day Parade. As Newtown Hook & Ladder Chief, Lee knew a thing or two about parades and was selected as parade marshal. In those days, parade marshals headed the planning of the event in addition to sitting in the car and waving to the crowd.

“I remember it was a fair day. We didn’t have any weather problems. What we did is, we had five divisions. The fire chief for each company headed each division. It ran very smoothly because we were used to marching and parading,” said Mr. Glover.

Earlier in the year, the Rotary Club of Newtown came up with the idea to hold a parade on Labor Day, a holiday many in town considered to be sort of a drab and boring.

“They just thought there was a lack of something happening on Labor Day and this certainly livened up the holiday,” Mr. Glover said. “I think it’s done that even more so than they could have ever realized. I never thought it would last this long.”

Like today, the first Labor Day parade kicked off at the Soldiers and Sailors monument at the top of Main Street and headed south past the flagpole. However, in that first year, the parade kept going straight to Amaral Motors (and on to Dickinson Park) instead of turning left onto Glover Avenue.

The Newtown Bee reported on the excitement surrounding that first parade, which was put on by the Rotary Club and part of the “Progress Days” festivities which also included a dance and block party that weekend. A total of 41 units marched in that first parade. This year, more than 200 units will take part.

“The parade was highlighted by many floats and spirited bands and marching units, political party candidates, clowns, decorated bicycles, and mounted 4H riding units,” The Bee reported. Leading the parade that year was Mr. Glover, who actually headed the event for the first three years.

“I remember the political situation that first year,” Mr. Glover said. “When we first set the parade up, there was no division for politicians. Then a committee decided to have a group of politicians in there. There were pros and cons on it, but we finally let them in. I have to laugh now because today it’s almost a full division of politicians, but that’s part of the spirit of Labor Day.”

Newtown’s fire companies have always been the backbone of the parades, and George Lockwood of Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire Company has been there every step of the way. He marched that first year and every year since. Mr. Lockwood has been a member of the Sandy Hook company for more than 50 years.

“The parade just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I remember in the early days, there were just a handful of people along the street as you passed by. There were more people marching than there were watching,” he said.

In that first year, Stanley Verry was grand chairman of “Progress Days,” Dr. Vincent Jablon of Newtown Rotary was parade chairman, and Charles Gehring of the Jaycees headed the publicity. Parade judges were Henry Schankenberg, Ernst Guckel, Alexander Nagy, and Dorothy Mable.

Parade VIP’s included First Selectman Charles W. Terrell, Jr, “Newtown’s Mr. Citizen” Bertram Stroock, who had donated the land for Dickinson Park the year before, and “Miss Newtown,” Antonia Woyerstrass.

In those days, Newtown was a much smaller town with country flare. “When you walked down Main Street everybody knew each other and said ‘hello.’ That has changed,” Mr. Glover said.

The Labor Day Parades in Newtown have provided many fond memories for residents over the years. Who can forget parade marshal Lee Davidson roller skating the parade route dressed in a gorilla suit in 1979, or the year well-known Republican Mae Schmidle managed to get an elephant into the march. One recent parade was highlighted by a fly-over by a World War II B-17. Newtown’s parade has lived on for so long thanks to a long list of organizers who take great care in putting on a good show. Also, Newtown’s Labor Day Parade has grown to be the largest in the state, attracting governors, senators, and other dignitaries. Most towns that have parades schedule them for Memorial Day Weekend.

The Early Days of the Newtown Labor Day Parade

View Previous Parade Photos