Celebrate The Rooster On Main Street

Saturday, June 18 will be a big Tercentennial Day on Main Street as Newtowners and people who love Newtown have the opportunity to celebrate, honor, enjoy, showcase and/or display versions of the town’s famous symbol: The Rooster.

Main Street from Soldiers & Sailors Monument to the flagpole at Newtown Meeting House will be festooned with rooster paraphernalia from renditions of the rooster weathervane on top of the meeting house steeple to others in the form of pins, plates, paintings, drawings, decorated ceramics, Newtown’s ten-foot tall display rooster, an assortment of family pets from Rhode Island reds to other roosters, renditions by Girls Scouts, a full display of elementary school rooster poster drawings, and, of course, the now famous Chamber of Commerce fowl strutting up and down the street.

“This will be the day for Newtowners who love roosters to do their thing,” said Mae Schimdle, who is coordinating the event with Tom Catalina. Former police chief Michael Fekete is the honorary chairman of the event.

Displays, arrangements and showcasing will take place from 11:30 am until 2 pm (with Sunday, June 19 as a rain date).

In anticipation of a large crowd, the Chamber of Commerce will be distributing more than 1,000 flyers and there will be a “celebrate the rooster” poster in store windows throughout town.

Recently added to the rally roster is an en plein aire paint-out. At least five well-known artists will be set up on the lawns opposite Edmond Town Hall, creating works for passersby. Melody Asbury, David Merrill, Ruth Newquist, Ralph Schwartz and Brigette Sorensen will all be painting during the rally; others may sign on or just show up the morning of the event.

In addition to various exhibits and displays, there will also be many drawings, refreshments and tons of giveaways, assuring a great day for everyone and especially for roosters and rooster lovers, Mrs Schmidle said.

A number of organizations, groups and families have already rallied on board and are working on their exhibits and displays. Among those committed to the Rooster Rally are Newtown Chamber of Commerce, Children’s Adventure Center (running the drawing contest), Newtown Savings Bank, the Town Clerk’s Office, Rocking Roosters, Girl Scouts, Parks and Recreations (with the biggest rooster in town), Newtown Woman’s Club, Newtown Visiting Nurse Association, The Parent Connection, Cyrenius H. Booth Library, Town Historian Dan Cruson, and other Newtown businesses, restaurants, individuals and families.

More participants are anticipated, Mrs Schmidle said.

To reserve a space for an exhibit or display, call Mrs Schmidle at 426-6264, or send requests to Newtown Tercentennial, Edmond Town Hall, 45 Main Street, Newtown CT 06470.