The Labor Day Parade Committee—

Putting A Face On The Parade

By nancy K. Crevier

“The little fairies don’t put on the parade! It doesn’t take care of itself,” exclaims Nancy Koch, a five-year member of the Newtown Labor Day Parade Committee. But the eight committee members work their own special form of magic every year that enables the popular parade to wend its way down the streets of their hometown.

Some of the committee members are new, and some are old hands at pulling off this huge event the first Monday of each September. For Beth Cluff, serving on the 2005 parade committee is a first. Ms Cluff, a Newtown resident since 1991 and a local realtor, was reeled into the committee by her friend Nancy Koch while dining at the Newtown Inn one evening during a committee meeting. Once she heard that she could portray this year’s grand marshal, the late town benefactress Mary Hawley, there was no holding her back from joining the committee.

“It’s important. I’m a transfer,” says Ms Cluff. “Newtown has so much to give. I believe that you should move into an area like you’re going to live there the rest of your life. The parade is such a good advertisement for Newtown.”

 On the other end of the spectrum is Kym Stendahl, who has been chairperson of the parade committee since 1991. In April of 1991, Ms Stendahl was horrified by a Danbury New-Times report that predicted the demise of Newtown’s annual Labor Day parade, due to the lack of a chairperson and committee to organize it that year. “I got involved the year it was almost cancelled,” says Ms Stendahl. “I personally feel what makes a town a great town is people giving back to it. This is my small contribution to the community.” Even the fact that it rained for the first time in the history of the parade that year didn’t dampen her spirit. “We pulled it off,” she says. The satisfaction of continuing the town tradition has kept her at the helm every year since then.

In between are Ann Marie DeWeese, four-year member, Terri Bell, two-year member, Steve Bigham, two-year member, Brian Amey, six-year member, Dan Cruson, the tercentennial liaison this year, and Nancy Koch.

Planning for the parade begins shortly after the turn of each year, in January. At that time, committee members brainstorm ideas for the parade theme, nominate a grand marshal, and throw out new ideas to keep the parade fresh.

“Every year is different,” offers Brian Amey. In keeping with the spirit of the town’s tercentennial celebration, the theme for 2005 is “Happy Birthday Newtown.” For each committee member, though, there is a past theme or parade memory they hold near and dear to them.

For Mr Amey, it is the year 2001, when committee members were able to procure three gigantic national and historic flags, including Mount Rushmore’s 45-by-90-foot behemoth that was carried aloft down Main Street by volunteers from the parade sidelines.

The 2001 parade is a memorable one for Steve Bigham, too. Married September 2 of that year, he and his bride remained in town to view the parade the next day. “Newtown has a lot of community spirit,” he says. His wedding, the awe-inspiring flags in that year’s parade, and the horror of 9/11 that followed barely more than a week later have left an indelible impression of the 2001 parade on this committee member.

Although a resident of Southbury, Mr Bigham, happily serves on the Newtown Labor Day Parade Committee. Newtown holds a special spot in his heart, having been raised here. “I had a history, a strong connection with the committee,” he says. Prior to starting his own publishing company, his duties as a reporter for The Newtown Bee had included parade coverage. The move from reporter to committee member was a seamless transition.

“The years are all fun,” Terri Bell says. “I enjoy the rapport. There is a lot of enthusiasm.”

“It’s a great group of people who care about the town and the tradition of the parade,” adds Ann Marie DeWeese. She goes on to repeat what is a common theme amongst the group, “It’s a feeling of belonging to the community and doing something for the community.”

Ms Stendahl believes that the glue that holds the busy bunch together is a relaxed attitude of trust in the community and faith in everyone’s ability to bring the loose ends together. Says Nancy Koch, “It’s an undertaking, but we enjoy ourselves. I met people I didn’t know before and we’re all friends. We love Newtown.”

“When I go out the night before the parade at midnight to block off the grandstand area,” concludes Ms Stehdahl, “and I see all the chairs lined up in anticipation, I think, ‘This is something people in town really love.’ We become a small town again that day.”

Contributions to the parade fund can be mailed to: Newtown Labor Day Parade, c/o Newtown Savings Bank, 39 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470.