Students Marched Proudly In Parade

Children’s fingers curled over the top of a Hawley School banner as students — shoulder-to-shoulder in blue and white tie-dye T-shirts — marched with smiles down Main Street on Monday, September 7. Taking their turn before hundreds of spectators pushing off the curb for a better view of Newtown’s 48th Labor Day Parade procession, the children marched their school name past the flagpole, downhill, turned the corner onto Glover Avenue, and soon strode toward the grandstand.

Throughout the parade and sandwiched between political groups, houses of worship, and civic organizations’ floats were the towns students. Representing both academic and extracurricular learning, youngsters, teenagers and often their teachers, instructors, or parents all set foot in this year’s parade.

Thirsty? Wearing her Newtown Field Hockey shirt, Brady Eggleston pushed a cart and sold bottled water. Minutes behind her were the Moon Jumpers, skipping rope in green and white T-shirts. Rounding the corner from Glover and traveling up Main Street were Newtown Swim and Dive members also selling cool drinks to the crowd.

Horse-drawn carriages and antique cars passed bystanders waving from chairs, blankets, and front stoops along the parade route. As vendors sold toys to children and firefighters tossed hard candy to children, the streets filled intermittently with demonstrations. Shaolin Studios and Newtown Academy of Karate members held demonstrations from the parade’s start to finish. Dancing clowns and decorative floats mixed with the many groups representing Newtown’s schools and students this year.