Columbus festivities:
Rain or Shine, the 103rd ANNUAL BRIDGEPORT COLUMBUS DAY PARADE sponsored by the Council of Italian-American Societies of Greater Bridgeport, Inc., will take place on Sunday, October 9, 2011. Starting at 1:00 P.M. at the corner of Wayne Street and Jewett Avenue, the parade will head south onto Madison Avenue where it will end at Beers Street at the entrance to the parking lot of Central High School. This year’s reviewing stand will be located one block before the end of the parade at Micalizzi’s Italian Ices, 712 Madison Avenue.
This year’s parade kicks off with Grand Marshall, Joseph Ambrosini, Business Manager of Local 665, Laborers’ International Union of North America, and is dedicated to the tenth anniversary of 9/11 and the tragic loss of human life as well as, emergency response personnel, the soldiers of Iraq and Afghanistan Wars and their families and friends who have endured much grief and loss over the past decade.
Grand Marshall Ambrosini stated, “many new attractions and local personalities will be featured in this year’s parade, including Tony Reno, WICC 60 morning radio personality and host of the “Italian House Party,” the 1st Company Governor’s Horse Guard, Avon, Connecticut, the 2d U.S. Marine Division Band, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Frank Carroll, 2012 Barnum Festival Ringmaster, local high school bands, the Park City Pride Combined Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, the Fairfield Gaelic Pipe Band, fife and drum corps, clowns from the Ringling Bros. & Barnum & Bailey Circus, classic cars, floats, large helium filled character balloons, the Pyramid Shriners mini cycles, area dignitaries, including Mayor Bill Finch, area police and fire departments and much more.”
To celebrate the rich heritage and culture of the Italian people, a free pre-parade show at the reviewing stand will run from 11:30 – 12:45. The public will be treated to operatic and favorite Italian musical selections and the American and Italian Flag raising. Food and pastries from area Italian restaurants and bakeries will be available.
‘Nuff said here, right?