DAY TO PARADE
Event, celebrating Flag Day, offers something for everyone
The annual Flag Day Parade brings people from all walks of life together, as there’s something for everyone.
For Barbara Collins and Marilynn Moran, the Avant Garde Alumni Drum Corps performance to cap off the 51st Saratoga-Wilton Elks Lodge No. 161 Flag Day Parade was the highlight.
The Saratoga Springs natives have been to the annual celebration every June for years now. Nothing, in their opinion, beats the sound of the 150-member — which included 45 local members — drum corps.
“It was excellent,” said Moran following their performance. “I wish we could hear them again.”
Thousands of people lined Broadway on Saturday afternoon for the popular Flag Day celebration.
Floats included high school and local bands, the Schenectady Pipe Band, musical singing groups, Girl and Boy Scout Troops, youth sports groups, local
and military organizations, riders on horseback, ponydrawn carriages, and numerous large trucks and military entries.
Patrick Dowd, a drum major in Galway Pipes and Drums from Glens Falls, said the group has done the parades for years now, and it’s one of their favorites.
“It’s a real community parade. It’s a real community event,” said Dowd. “Look at all of the different organizations that are here between the high schools, sheriff’s departments, the Girl Scouts and the Boy Scouts, bands that come in, the fire department.”
Moran and Collins agreed with Dowd.
“It’s good to see the little kids, the Cub Scouts, the Boy Scouts, the football players and the fire department; and because we’ve lived here all of our life, we know half the people in the parade,” said Moran, with a laugh.
The Avant Garde Alumni Drum Corps, well-known from the ’70s, when the organization was the perennial New York State Champions, capturing the International Drum Corps Championship title 5 years in a row.
“We used to go to the drum corps competitions, so we really wanted to see them today,” said Moran.
This parade celebrated the 150th anniversary of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, focusing on the contributions all Elk Lodges make to their communities.
Susan Waghorn, Exalted Ruler and Chairperson of this year’s parade, announced Lt. Colonel Nicholas Laiacona, US Army Retired, Vietnam Veteran, as this year’s Honorary Grand Marshal, and Old Timer of the Year, PDDGER Patrick Mansfield as Grand Marshal.
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, Dowd called the parade a great opportunity.
“In a time where we sometimes are split apart, it’s a great opportunity to bring people together behind an idea that kind of brings us all together,” Dowd said.