What A Great Parade! What A Great Weekend! (With New Photos From Ann!)

Pomp and parade? Shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations?

Yes we did.

When John Adams, one of our Founding Fathers and a signer of the Declaration of Independence, wrote those words to his wife Abigail in 1776, he was referring to decision of the Continental Congress to sever ties with Great Britain on July 2nd, 1776.

Well, Madison apparently agrees in a big way because we started on July 2nd with thousands of people packed on the town green to hear the likes of the 1812 Overture, Op. 49, Stars & Stripes Forever, You're A Grand Old Flag, Yankee Doodle Dandy, And God Bless America. The Ancient Mariners threw in a few cannon blasts for good measure.

Then it was on to July 3rd and a fabulous display of fireworks that could be seen from all of the town beaches, and Hammonasset too.

And then the parade on July 4th. Thousands more fans of independence, many of them dressed in red, white, and blue, goofy hats, silly sunglasses, and other enthusiastic Independence Day accoutrements, lined both sides of the street in the center of town and down the Boston Post Road.

Members of the Madison Police Department led off, marching shoulder to shoulder, as part of a color guard. Other members of the police department followed, including Gwen the dog, and Police Chief Jack Drumm with members of his family.

The veterans received a standing ovation, as did a riderless caparisoned horse, boots turned backwards in the stirrups, honoring fallen warriors who will ride no more.

The parade also included many, many others including Grand Marshal Larry Ciotti, Madison Hose Co. No. 1, the North Madison Fire Company, Madison Ambulance, Shriners in their crazy little cars, Madison Republicans, Madison Democrats, Madison VFW Post 2096, the Exchange Club, the Rotary Club, the Madison Board of Selectmen also with family members, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Brownies, several local businesses, an impressive array of spectacular sports cars, a guy juggling on a unicycle, a rock band, and one writhing black snake.

After the parade made its way to the Surf Club, where it ended, the crowd dispersed slowly, with some lingering on the town green to play games or read a book. Others headed off to the beach, or back to the neighborhood for the neighborhood parade or party or barbeque. And most of us, if not all of us, left thinking what a great day it was.

John Adams would have been proud.