Historic Parades Down Main Street!

What a Memorial Day to remember!

Not only did we honor our fallen soldiers on Memorial Day with the traditional Winsted VFW Post 296 Memorial Day Parade of floats, marching bands, decorated military trucks, and fire trucks, but two historic parades were invited to join – Winsted Rotary's 84th Pet Parade and 88th Laurel Festival Parade – creating our largest parade on Main Street!

The 84th Pet Parade poster contestants and marchers include children from Torrington, Winsted, Norfolk, New Hartford, Barkhamsted, and Colebrook who bring their pets, dress in costume and ride their bikes; for all the fun! 

The 88th Laurel Parade includes last year's King and Queen. It welcomes the 2022 candidates for the Laurel Festival riding in decorated cars – all a preview to the upcoming Laurel Ball the following week.

Pictures courtesy of Holly Marchand Cassady, Candy Perez, Tabitha Fay and  Jim Shannon Republican-American  

The Memorial Day Ceremony, held at East End Park, begins with the Pledge of Allegiance led by Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and the playing of our National Anthem by The Gilbert School Yellowjacket Marching Band. Then the reading of the names of 115 fallen soldiers from the Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War by members of the Soldiers' Monument Commission. During the reading of names, scouts from local troops place a flag for each name read in front of the grandstand. The ceremony closes with the VFW firing squad salute with Bugler and Echo bugler -- Jennifer Collins, Grade 12, The Gilbert School, and Alec Marvin, Grade 8, The Gilbert School. The Soldiers' Monument on Crown Street is open on the first floor from 2 to 4 pm on Memorial Day.