Ready to March: Annual Bunker Hill Parade Scheduled to Start on Sunday

PARADE COMMITTEE OFFICIALS shown from left to right: Samuel Morris, Vice Commander Post 26, Eileen Locke, Commander Post 26, Mayor Thomas Menino, Jim Considine, Chief Marshall, Arthur Hurley, Chair of the Parade Committee, Paul Morceau, Adjutant Post 26, and sitting, Ron Taylor, member Post 26.

The annual Bunker Hill Day celebration in this neighborhood brings Charlestown out and together at the same time for one of the biggest celebrations of the year.

At more than 50 years, this is one of Boston’s most enduring celebrations in a place that is so closely wed forever to the beginnings of the American Revolution.

It is an event for young and old, rich and poor, longtime residents and newer residents, those interested in history and those who are not and on and on.

It is a time for children and adults who love a parade to enjoy one of the best remaining parades that goes off from year to year in Suffolk County.

The weather is predicted to shine on the parade and Sunday is supposed to be sunny and warm – perfect for a family outing in Charlestown.

The Bunker Hill Day Parade this year will begin promptly Sunday at 12:30 p.m.

The parade route is the same from year to year.

It begins at the corner of Tufts and Bunker Hill Streets, proceeds down Bunker Hill Street turning onto Main Street, to Union, to Washington, to Harvard, to Pleasant, to Warren to Monument Ave., onto High Street to Green Street to Bartlett Street passing the Bunker Hill Monument through Monument Square then onto Winthrop Street, by the Training Field to Common Street and to its finish there.

If you are have relatives or friends coming into town to attend, parking restrictions will be strictly enforced, according to the Boston Police Department.

Cars parked illegally along the parade route will be towed.

In addition, police have warned that public drinking will not be allowed or tolerated and is strictly against the law.

The past several years has been marked by the steady decline and near absence of public drinking or intoxication during the parade.

Crowds are traditionally large, lining the streets, especially the lengths of Main and Bunker Hill Streets.

The earlier one stakes out their piece of the sidewalk along the parade route the better.

The parade is always preceded by a slate of events that helps to give shape and form to the holiday celebration.

They are: the CHAD March and Town Hall meeting which was held June 4; and then it was on to Mayor Thomas Menino’s Senior Luncheon, which was held June 6; and then to the well-known and roundly enjoyed Bunker Hill Associates Family Feud held at the Knights of Columbus Hall that evening.

On Thursday there is the Peter Looney Concert sponsored by Mayor Menino and the Bunker Hill Associates held at the Eden Street Garage at 7:00 p.m. This event is expected to be very well attended.

The Annual Night Before Banquet is held Friday.

One of the fun events of parade day is Edna Kelly’s Doll Carriage Parade at the Training Field Saturday at 10:00 a.m.

Also on Saturday is the very popular Charlestown Chamber of Commerce Open Market at the Bunker Hill Mall which is held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Bunker Hill Barber Cut-A-Ton is from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. which is followed by the Mummer’s Concert at the Bunker Hill Monument at 6 p.m.

Sunday of course is Parade Day.

It is also the Bunker Hill Associates Breakfast which attracts more than 300 people from all walks of life and which is attended by Mayor Menino, Representative Gene O’Flaherty, City Council President Steve Murphy, State Senator Sal DiDomenico, Boston City Councillor Sal LaMattina and a host of Boston’s most notable movers and shakers as well as a large number of men, women and children from the organic Charlestown community.

The breakfast is truly one of the uniting events of the day that kicks off the parade with a spate of short speeches and good food at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Key organizers of the these events and the parade, Chair Leo Boucher and Vice-Chair John Taglilatela can be reached for questions pertaining to all aspects of the parade at 617-523-5805 or 617-839-8745.

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