Watuppa Palooza kicks off Saturday with boat parade

Three events over the course of the summer celebrate life on South Watuppa Pond

By Ted Hayes
Posted 7/8/22

The Fourth has come and gone, but Westport will get another chance to show its patriotism this weekend, when the organizers of Watuppa Palooza hold their annual boat parade on South Watuppa Pond at 2 …

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Watuppa Palooza kicks off Saturday with boat parade

Three events over the course of the summer celebrate life on South Watuppa Pond

Posted

The Fourth has come and gone, but Westport will get another chance to show its patriotism this weekend, when the organizers of Watuppa Palooza hold their annual boat parade on South Watuppa Pond at 2 p.m.

South Watuppa boat parades go back decades, but fell out of regular planning before organizers revamped the tradition about five years ago. Christian DaSilva — known as 'Captain Seaweed' for this event — said he and his fellow organizers are proud to have brought back the annual parades, and are planning three of them through the summer, starting with Saturday. Future events this summer include the main Watuppa Palooza (Saturday, August 14) and the Moonlight Fun Parade (Saturday, Sept. 4).

"We're proud of the pond," DaSilva said in an interview. "It's our home."

Saturday's parade is dubbed "Watuppa Celebrates America." Boats line up at 2 p.m. at the south end of the pond, outside the cove, and the parade starts at 2:30 p.m. Like most years, many of the boats will be decorated with elaborate 'costumes,' and spectators from shore are encouraged to hold up signs rating each entry on a 1 to 10 scale. Everyone who is able to make it, and wants to bedeck their vessels in red, white and blue, is welcome to join the parade.

 

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