The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Old Home Days promises ‘Glorious Celebration’
EAST HAMPTON — The town will embark on a three-day celebration beginning tonight as Old Home Days marks its 40th anniversary.
The gates at the fairgrounds, 7 Summit St., will swing open at 6 p.m., setting off a tribute to and celebration of the life and people of East Hampton. Tonight’s events end at 10 p.m. and Friday, the celebration runs from 6 to 11 p.m., while Saturday is an all-day event, 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The three-day event is known as the Glorious Celebration. It involves a midway, fair food, musical acts and two signature events: the annual 5K Glorious Gallop road race, a mostly downhill course, Friday night and the centerpiece of the weekend, the Old Home Days Parade Saturday.
The parade’s theme “is proposed and chosen by the public,” an action that serves as both “a strong salute to encouraging community involvement and (an) investment in the event,” organizers said.
This year, the focus will be 40 Years Strong.
“The town of East Hampton has been on the map, in one form or another, for 251 years,” organizers said.
“Come join in the celebration our wonderful town’s 251st anniversary with a float that remarks on its rich history and bright potential for the future,” they said.
The expectation is for floats that encompass East Hampton’s “Belltown tradition, the Airline Trail, the Comstock Bridge, beautiful Lake Pocotopaug, and any and everything else that makes East Hampton such a fine place to live and raise a family,” according to the news release.
The parade regularly draws thousands upon thousands of spectators and includes myriad floats as residents try to outdo one another in creativity. In addition, there will “an array of marching units, antique vehicles, and a range of bands, locally favored and award-winning.”
Tonight’s opening-night events include by Matt the Balloon Man from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and Physical Graffiti from 7:30 to 10 p.m.
Five bands are scheduled to perform throughout the afternoon and into the evening. Last Rhino is first up, from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. The group be followed by Big Deal Rock from 2:40 to 4 p.m.; Legion of Jerry from 4:30 to 6 p.m., Plywood Cowboy from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and music will close out with Pulse from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
As the youngest fairgoers make a beeline for the midway rides, parents are can buy all-you-can-ride wristbands for their children. Each costs $15 for tonight, $20 for Friday and $20 all day Saturday.
On Friday night, any number of runners will be hotfooting it over to the fairgrounds during the 20th annual 5K point-to-point race. The course starts at Seven Hills Crossing, continues down Mott Hill and around the Lake Pocotopaug, and winds up at the finish line at Center School.
The race is scheduled to begin at 7:15 p.m. and expected to continue until 8:15.
Police this week issued an advisory to residents and/or visitors to expect traffic delays during the race on these roads: 1Main Street (North of Route 196 and all streets that intersect with Main Street in that section, including Route 66). 1 North Main Street (all streets that intersect with North Main Street). 1 Lake Drive (West of Mott Hill and all intersecting streets in that same section). 1Mott Hill and Seven Hills
Meanwhile, at the fairgrounds, Someone You Can X-Ray will take the stage from 6 to 8 p.m. The band will be followed by The Neybas, whose members will entertain the crowd from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
The parade steps off at 11 a.m. Saturday and is expected to continue until 1:30 p.m.
Police said there will detours around the route.
From the east, detours begin at Route 66 and Lake Drive, and then turn right from Lake onto Clark Hill Road. Traffic will then veer left onto North Cone Road, then left on Abbey, right onto Cone Road and right onto Route 66. For visitors from the west, the detour begins at Route 66 and Cone Road.
Traffic will then turn left onto Abbey Road, right onto North Cone Road, right again onto Clark Hill Road then left onto Lake Drive (which turns into Staeth Drive) and continue on Staeth until turning left onto Route 66.
For information, visit ehohd.org.