Marlborough To Hold 69th Annual Labor Day Parade

MARLBOROUGH – City of Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant announced today, August 10, the return of the Marlborough Labor Day Parade.  The 2021 parade will mark the 69th year that Marlborough hosts the event which, over the years, has come to mark the symbolic end-of-summer. 

In 1952, the City’s 28th Mayor, Romeo J. Gadbois, enlisted the support of the Marlborough Recreation Department under the direction of Louis Ghiloni to organize the parade.  That first year the parade had 12 marching units and launched the annual tradition, as Mayor Romeo Gadbois wanted “to brighten the lives of those living in Marlborough.” Showcased that first year were the veterans who had recently returned from serving in World War II. 

The parade continued to showcase veterans and grew to include the Drum Corps popular in the 1960’s and 70’s. 

In recent years, with the support of Mayor Arthur Vigeant, the 43rd Mayor, the parade has grown to include a wide variety of historical re-enactment groups, fife & drum corps, military color and honor guard, drill teams and marching units, high school and college marching bands and rock bands. 

Entries include veterans, politicians, home and school groups, non-profit agencies and more. 

Melanie Whapham, the 2021 Parade Director, encourages the musical performing groups, schools, veterans, fraternal organizations, politicians, and civic groups to complete and submit the online application at the Marlborough Labor Day Parade website: www.marlboroughlabordayparade.com

Donations are encouraged to supplement the City’s sponsorship.  Donations are available at five levels of support and more information is outlined on the website.

The Marlborough Labor Day Parade will step off at Noon on Monday, September 6 and follow the traditional route starting at Pleasant and Lincoln Streets, proceeding west onto Lincoln Street, south onto Broad Street, east onto West Main Street.  The parade continues onto Main Street and turns south onto Maple, ending at the intersection of Bolton Street