79th annual Pet Parade draws hundreds

WINSTED — The 79th annual Pet Parade was held on Saturday, May 16.

The parade, a town tradition dating back to the 1930s, was organized by the Winsted and Torrington Area Rotary Club.

While some police cruisers blocked off the roads that intersected with Main Street along the parade route, from Meadow Street to East End Park, marching bands from local schools, elaborately decorated floats, costumed animals ranging from small chickens pulled on wagons to horses with pastel-painted hooves, to every shape and size dog proceeded to make their way past the hundreds of spectators gathered to take part in the parade.

Parade participants were judged in various categories, and one of them was the children’s decorated bicycle competition. As the bicycles rolled by a former winner of this division, David Woodworth, spoke fondly of his days as a young boy in the eighties attending and participating in the parade.

“One of the most glorious memories of my youth was my experience taking home that blue ribbon for the bike division,” said Woodworth, who writes for The Winsted Journal. “To this day, I cherish and take pride in that accomplishment.”

Hundreds of spectators lined up and down Main Street to view the parade an hour before the start time, including Ivan Sharfman and his wife, Barbara, along with their friend Lori Jones, all from Winsted.

“I’ve been watching this parade since forever,” Barbara Sharfman said. “I know a few folks who even participated in it over the years.”

Spectator Tim Wheeler was carrying around with him his 1987 “best in parade” award.

Wheeler said that his mother won an award for her Indian costume back in 1952.

“This is a very unique parade,” Wheeler said. “In fact, this parade is unique to this country.”

Participants in the parade included marching bands from The Gilbert School, Northwestern Regional High School and a band of students from the Winchester School District.

Adults and children dressed in various costumes, including characters from Dr. Seuss books, Minions, Hula Girls and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

As the last of the parade passed by, onlookers began to make their way to East End Park, where the winners were announced and local band, Chronic Rhythm, treated the crowd to rocking renditions of well-known covers, as well as masterfully crafted original tunes. 

With the park almost filled with people, the winning children and groups were announced by officials from the Rotary Club, with near-continuous applause accompanying the reading of their names. A clan of yellow labs, known as Lab Dynasty, took home the award for “Best in Parade,” and the dogs celebrated and cooled off in the fountain on the northern end of the park while inadvertently entertaining onlooking families.

— Ryan Callinan
and Shaw Israel Izikson