Floats celebrate diversity, patriotism, community

Seventeen floats will be divided among the parade's five divisions

By Patrick Luce
Posted 7/1/16

About a dozen St. Mary’s parishioners gathered at DaPonte Landscaping on Wood Street Monday morning, busily painting red-white and blue stripes, hanging signs from lightposts and affixing …

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Floats celebrate diversity, patriotism, community

Seventeen floats will be divided among the parade's five divisions

Posted

About a dozen St. Mary’s parishioners gathered at DaPonte Landscaping on Wood Street Monday morning, busily painting red-white and blue stripes, hanging signs from lightposts and affixing suspension cables to their Mt. Hope Bridge on wheels.

It was the third straight day the volunteers spent their time bringing to reality the Fourth of July Parade float that has been a working concept on paper for the better part of three months.

“They come up with the ideas and then I take over the construction,” said Don Hemond, St. Mary’s parishoner and cabinet maker by trade. “I built most of it at my shop at home, then we brought it here this weekend to put it together.”

The plans have been in the works since about April, according to Ann Alix, one of the organizers of the church’s annual parade float. A tribute to American multiculturalism, the float features a replica Mt. Hope Bridge with one suspension tower the dominating feature. The bridge is recreated in intricate detail, with authentic-looking light posts and red, white and blur stripes in the road as they appear on Hope and High streets. Local artist Charlie Kovach is even painting shadows across the bridge deck as they would appear on the real thing.

“We do everything we can to make it as authentic as possible. It’s not just put together,” Ms. Alix said. “Our theme is ‘From many, one.’ The bridge defines Bristol, but it also defines the many different people of America.”

Promoting the multicultural theme, the float will feature six actors, each representing a different ethnicity, crossing the bridge and walking toward the American flag, as if crossing into the land of the free.

The St. Mary’s Church float has an added meaning — as much of this year’s Fourth of July parade is sure to. It is dedicated to Sgt. P. Andrew McKenna, a Bristol native killed in Afghanistan last August.

The organizers of the St. Mary’s float are hoping to repeat as award winners in the float competition, having taken home the Most Patriotic award for their “Founding Fathers” float.

They’ll be up against some stiff competition for the awards, which include Most Patriotic, Most Original, Most Beautiful, in both the commercial and non-commercial categories. There will also be awards for Top Military Honor and Best in Show when the floats are judged on Asylum Road before the parade steps off Monday, according to Floats Committee Chairman James Tavares.

The 17 floats expected to roll through town Monday include seven from Bristol. Others come from as close as Barrington and as far away as East Greenwich. The list of floats and their themes include:

  • Bristol Fourth of July Pageant Committee — America the Beautiful.
  • Bristol Fourth of July Orange Crate Derby winners.
  • St. Mary’s Church — E Pluribus Unum - Out of Many, One.
  • Roger Williams University — 240 Years of Independence.
  • Surface Warfare Officers School Command — Surface Warfare.
  • Bristol County Elks Lodge #1860 — Celebrating Veterans.
  • In His Image Outreach — Revolutionary-era children
  • Anna Thompson — Historical New England boats.
  • Pvt. Joseph Francis Post #486 US Veterans of Foreign Wars — Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
  • Wood Street Cafe — America Stands Behind You
  • US Submarine Veterans Inc, RI base — Scale model of submarine USS Providence.
  • James L. Maher Center — summer/disability awareness.
  • Knights of Columbus RI State Council — The Santa Maria and the founding of America.
  • Falun Dafa Association of Rhode Island — Celebrate with peace.
  • Dance Expressions — Dancers of America.
  • Bristol County Lions Club — Patriotic tribute.
  • Sailor Donna Lange — Volunteerism in Bristol.

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A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.