The 2016 Newtown Labor Day Parade - the 55th annual presentation along three of the town's main thoroughfares, with staging on additional roadways - is scheduled for Monday, September 5. Step-off will again be at 10 am, with the first marchers beginning from Main Street at its intersection with Hanover Road.Counting Down To September 5as this year's grand marshal.participate@newtownctlabordayparade.org.newtownctlabordayparade.org or find Newtown Labor Day Parade on Facebook.

And while that big event is just less than a month away, the Labor Day Parade Committee is already looking beyond this year's spectacle.

"We're looking for the next generation" of the town's parade committee, Beth Caldwell said recently. "The good news is, we've done this enough times that I think we can put together good timelines - a how-to - and notes about the people who support us, so that someone should be able to step into this easily."

With the theme of "There's No Place Like Home" for this year's big event, organizers are hoping that participants will find many reasons to celebrate Newtown.

They are also planning to focus more on the home-grown organizations, schools, and businesses that are already in town than has been done in years past.

"We're looking to bring in more of a Newtown feeling," Ms Caldwell said. "We're trying to simplify for our own needs, but also to make it a more local celebration."

Ms Caldwell and the Labor Day Parade Board held its most latest meeting on August 3. That evening, prior to planned presentations of budgets, an update on sponsors, and discussions concerning the parade website, among other topics, board members discussed who would remain on the committee after the final marchers and floats clear Queen Street next month.

"We are looking for an individual, an organization, or a group to take on the task of marching those fine people down Main Street," Ms Caldwell said. "And mind you, we're not dropping out completely. We will stay on and still advise for a while, but we want new leaders."

The town's first Labor Day Parade, on September 3, 1962, featured all five of the town's fire companies. Organized by the Rotary Club as part of that year's Newtown Progress Days, the event was led by Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Lee Glover.

"One of the biggest presence in the Labor Day Parade has always been the five fire departments," Ms Caldwell said last week. "It might make sense for them to take it on. Perhaps rotate each year, something like that."

Dan Cruson concurred.

"It started being done by the fire departments, so many years ago," he said.

Whether the town's volunteer firefighters can be talked into taking on the task or it goes to someone else, those who are stepping down from leadership positions feel they will have plenty of knowledge to share with their successor(s).

Of a board that is comprised of about ten people, at least five appear ready to step down. In addition to Ms Caldwell, Vice President Robin Buchanan, Secretary Dan Cruson, Treasurer and Marketing Liaison Brian Amey, and Concierge Ellie Whalen all indicated last week that they intend to step down, or at least hand off the majority of their responsibilities.

Ms Buchanan has been on the committee for the nearly a decade.

"My role is parade participant liaison," she said this week. Her list of responsibilities covers everything from arranging for participants and placing them within the line of march, creating notes for the emcees and signs for the street director, providing the judges with all of the entries to be judged in the different categories, getting certificates to the appropriate winners, letting the treasurer know who needs to be paid (and how much), "and anything else that it takes to get the parade started, moving, and wound up.

"I have had the luxury of time the last eight years, and I have been retired," she said, "but it's time."

Mr Cruson said the parade committee has already, through years of work, set things in motion for future parade leaders.

"We're in a much better place now than we were the last time there was a major changeover, approximately 20 years ago," he said. "Nothing was quite that organized" at the time, he said.

Mr Amey quickly mentioned the parade programs. In recent years, booklets have been handed out along the parade route. Printed on high-quality paper, the booklets offer a line of march, information about the grand marshal, and ads by parade sponsors.

"I can remember some of the earliest programs," he said. "They were black and white, on ditto paper."

Some good news is, many relationships are longstanding, according to Ms Caldwell.

"Once you know who the players are - and there are a lot of people, and businesses, who we can count on - it isn't difficult to put this all together," she said. "It's just a matter of contacting them."

Brett Radachowsky, who is in his first year on the committee, and Social Media Director Manny Fernandes, a second-year member, both plan to remain on the committee.

"Right now I'm going through the motion of watching everything, and learning a lot at each meeting," said Mr Radachowsky.

The group meets monthly, January through July. There are two meetings in August, and then a post-parade wind-up meeting, said Ms Caldwell.

"Then we take a break until January," she said.

Meetings are held at the main branch of Newtown Savings Bank, and generally last about 90 minutes.

"People see this as a huge undertaking, and it does get to be one as we get closer to the parade itself," said Ms Caldwell, "but it isn't overwhelming."

Ellie Whalen said most people she hears from are surprise at the time commitment.

"The biggest comment I get is people don't realize how much planning goes into this," she said, "especially the day of." Committee members, she said, are usually working along the parade route by 7 am.

While the parade committee will have at least one more meeting before this year's big event, its members would like those who are interested in joining to wait until after Labor Day to reach out to them.

"We may schedule an October or November meeting or open house type event," Ms Caldwell said, "while things are still fresh in everyone's mind."

One thing the next Labor Day Parade president will need to find for themselves: a way to scoot around on the day of the parade.

"I'm not giving up my scooter," Ms Caldwell said, eliciting laughs from those around the table. For years, the parade committee president has been seen zipping up and down the parade route on a powder blue scooter. It's almost as familiar as the location of the Newtown High School Color Guard and Marching Band in one of the lead parade positions.

"They're going to have to get their own," she said.

Meanwhile, there is still a 2016 Labor Day Parade to continue planning for. Applications are rolling in, as are donations.

"Our goal for this year was to make it more of a hometown parade," Ms Caldwell said last week. "That's one reason why we're scaling back a bit."

Dan Cruson said the committee is purposely trying to shorten the parade for the audience enjoyment as well. Some parades have run for more than three hours.

"One criticism we have received is that it just goes on for too long," he said.

Andy Gallagher pointed out that last year's parade may have gone overboard.

"We upped everything," he said, "but people also seemed to enjoy it."

In following with the traditional gift for a 55th anniversary, participants are being challenged to create a moving celebration of all things emerald, and tie it in to the aforementioned theme of "There's No Place Like Home."

The Parade Committee in May announced the selection of longtime resident and retired surgeon Robert Grossman

There are still openings for those who would like to march. Contact Robin Buchanan at 203-426-6195 or

Donations and sponsorships are always needed.

"We have to pay bands and performers," Ms Caldwell pointed out. "Shriners don't come free."

Mr Amey mentioned that special additions - like the National Flag, which first appeared for the parade in 2001; or the flyover of a B-25 and a pair of Texan T-6 Flyers that opened the 2011 Labor Day Parade - can be large expenses.

"That's a very pricey few seconds," Ms Caldwell said of the special appearances of the three historic planes hired five years ago.

For full details about the parade, including sponsorship and donation opportunities, visit