Pet parade big draw once again

WINSTED — They say that every dog will have his day, and in Winsted, Fluffy and Fido — along with many other creatures both great and small — were honored in a decades-long town tradition last weekend.

Hundreds of residents lined Main Street to watch the participants in the Rotary Club of Winsted’s 74th annual Pet Parade march their way to East End Park on Saturday, May 15.

Winsted Rotary President David Cappabianca said the event is unique among local Rotary chapters across the United States.

“We’re the only ones who do an annual pet parade,� Cappabianca said. “It is one of these things that we do each year to give back to the community.�

Cappabianca added that while participation in the parade has been up and down over the last seven decades, the club has seen an uptick in interest in recent years.

“It’s getting bigger,� he said. “There has been a resurgence.�

The grand marshal for this year’s parade was Joann Ryan, president and chief executive officer of the Northwest Corner Chamber of Commerce. The parade also featured club dignataries: Herb Toback, the local chapter’s district governor, and Prasad Menon, the district governor-elect.

Marching bands from the Region 7 School District and Winchester Public Schools also took part. The Gilbert School jazz band entertained spectators at East End Park.

Members of local volunteer fire departments, civic organizations, town officials, Scouts and numerous other residents also marched.

The winners of the parade’s annual poster contest were announced at the conclusion of the march.

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