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10/07/2015 08:30 AMMore than 125 marching units are expected to take part in the Columbus Day Parade held this year in East Haven on Sunday, Oct. 11.
The parade will step off at 1 p.m. from the intersection of Coe Avenue and Short Beach Road, head down Hemingway Avenue to Main Street into the West End District, and end at Circle Lanes.
In addition to Mayor Maturo, Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman will march along with the mayors and first selectmen from West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Hamden, and New Haven. U.S. Congressman Rosa DeLauro, State Senator Len Fasano, and other state legislators are also expected.
Parade participants also include the Second Company Governor’s Foot Guard, East Haven High School Marching Band, more than 20 marching bands and/or fife & drum corps, representatives of East Haven Fire and Police departments, more than 25 East Haven organizations or groups, and other various schools and service organizations.
The 2015 grand marshals are East Haven resident Pio Sgrignari and David McDermott of McDermott Auto Group. Paul Criscuolo is president of the Columbus Day Committee of Greater New Haven.
According to a town press release, Sgrignari, born in Italy in 1932, came to America in 1968, establishing residence in East Haven and has made his home on Dwight Place since 1971, where he resides with his wife of 59 years, Carolina. Mr. Sgrignari was a master craftsman in the installation of tile, marble, and granite until his retirement in 1994.
The release states McDermott purchased his first automobile dealership in 1971 and is presently the owner and operator of McDermott Chevrolet and McDermott Lexus, which moved to East Haven in 1997. David is married for 52 years to his wife Sally and is the father of three daughters. McDermott Auto Group in addition to being a significant contributor to many of East Haven’s signature events has demonstrated a community mind spirit unsurpassed throughout the company’s 18 years in the town.
According to the town, buses will be available at Circle Lanes beginning at 10 a.m. on parade day to transport Participants can leave their vehicles at to the start of the parade, allowing them to the end of the route for easy exit.
In the event of severe weather cancellations, information will be posted on the town’s website www.townofeasthavenct.org or available by calling the Mayor’s office on the day of the parade at 203-468-3204. For more information, visit www.columbusdaynewhaven.org.