GLOCESTER – The sun smiled upon the 99th year of the Ancients & Horribles parade in Chepachet Village. For the first time since 2022, there was no rain on the parade.
As the town moves toward its 100th parade and the nation towards its 250th birthday, the percentage of floats and people draped in red, white, and blue, seemed to indicate patriotism was the dominating theme of the parade – or love for America and Glocester.
At the traditional start time of 4 p.m., Main Street was mainly full along the entire parade route as a group of motorcycles roared down the road with some riders and passengers clad in patriotic colors. Volunteers walked in the parade soliciting donations to defray the costs of the annual event and prepare for next year’s.
The hands of time turned back however, as Grand Marshall Charlie Wilson rode by in the back of a horse and carriage. Vintage military vehicles driven by volunteers carried honored war veterans, some of whom served in the Korean War, Vietnam War, or during other eras.
A group of “No Kings” protesters – rather than protesting on the street as happened across the country last month – were part of the Chepachet parade action. Their frontman in the parade lineup carried a sign that read “Free Speech An Ancients and Horribles Tradition.”
One protester was dressed in a mock American flag with the stars replaced by what looked to be corporate logos. Most of the group members carried signs that made their political position clear:
“America has no kings 1776,” “This is the government our Founders Warned us about,” “Stop Billionaire Tax Tyranny Scandal,” “Balance of Power Account Overdrawn,” “Immigrants Make America Great,” and “Protect Public Lands” were the written or typed slogans found on signs carried by protesters.
Rhode Island’s Congressional delegation was represented by Democrat Sen. Jack Reed, apparently a favorite of some veterans who with alacrity shook his hand. Last month in the press, Reed praised the nationwide “No Kings” protests.
Rep. Seth Magaziner attracted extra attention when he got down on the ground and did push ups.
Another popular participant in the parade was a larger-than-life poster facsimile of President Donald Trump driven in a vehicle, with the display bringing out applause from parade-goers.
Amusing floats such as “Looking for Bigfoot,” and “Is the Dump Open Today?!?” –both references to town inside jokes– evoked laughter along the parade route.
Small businesses were also represented in the parade. Among the colorful floats and vehicles were “Vikings” on a Viking Stump Removal float that brought out plenty of smiles from parade-goers.
In Glocester, a town of an entirely Republican Town Council, a float from the Glocester Republican Town Committee evoked a few thumbs down but also plenty of cheers and shouts.
Two popular local Republican power couples also got plenty of love from parade-goers.
Happy-looking politician couples posed for a photo, North Smithfield School Committee member David de la Cruz and Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz, and Senate Minority Whip Gordon Rogers and Foster Town Council Vice President Heidi Rogers.
Keeping with the patriotic feel of the day, Miss or “Ms. Liberty,” draped in red and waving two American flags, turned heads as she stood tall in a jacked-up truck. The truck was emblazoned with the words “One Nation Under God” and “God first.”
Finger-snapping patriotic music likely familiar to millions of Americans was played along the parade route: traditional Independence Day tunes from Bristol County Fifes & Drums, clad in red, black, and white and led by three 1776-style militia men carrying muskets.
Sissy O’Hara of Providence, a first-timer at attending the parade, was accompanied by family members.
“We went to East Providence last night when the storm hit,” said O’Hara of the wind and rain that knocked out power in a few areas of the state, including temporarily parts of Glocester. O’Hara noted that by comparison, the Bristol 4th of July Parade is “way too crazy with the traffic” and doesn’t have an abundance of restrooms. “I love parades,” said O’Hara.
O’Hara’s son, Glocester man Nick Guarino, noted that Ancients & Horribles is known for political satire and the outrageous. He recalled that a decade ago or so ago, a person in the parade was costumed as President Ronald Reagan, and another as a crying President George Bush wearing a noose and a t-shirt with words to the effect of “I sold America.”
Joseph Savick, a lifelong Rhode Islander and also a first time attendee at the parade said he found Ancients & Horribles “very exciting.” Savick was with family members, all five of them from Providence– his son Daniel and wife Joanna, and children Ethan, age two, and Olivia, age four. Wally, the family Cavapoo puppy, age four months, was keeping his eyes on the parade action.
Kevin Sherman of Burrillville was walking along the parade route showing off his birthday tattoo and seemed proud to proclaim that July 4th was his forty-ninth.
“The music is fantastic” and “some signs” were interesting and “the muskets sounded good,” Sherman said of the parade.
Alison Muccino and her family members were also along the parade route.
“We grew up in this town,” Muccino said. “It’s more fun now that our kids are here. They love getting the candy. We’ve got friends on floats and are excited to see them.”
Muccino noted the parade had “less water” than in the past, meaning fewer floats that spray water at parade goers- an act that’s expressly against parade rules that has been overlooked or ignored by participants in previous years.
Local Vickie Baima attended with her niece Olivia, 13, and the niece’s friend Charlotte, 13.
“We come every year. We just love the parade; it’s a great parade,” said the aunt, who said she has attended for the past fifteen or so years.
Baima said that she and the young ladies came out to the parade “to support the country.”
Another longtime area resident, Mark Lavendier of Foster, noted he went to kindergarten in what is now Glocester Town Hall. Lavendier grew up in the Harmony section of Glocester that he joked with apparent fondness is “halfway between ignorance and bliss” The parade “is better when you’re younger. Usually the floats were irreverent,” said Lavendier.
Lavendier was accompanied by his fiancée Antje Wolff who said of the parade, “I like it because it’s smaller, very local, not like Bristol. It’s easy to get to.” Wolff is originally from a town near Berlin, Germany.
Cormac Lavendier, 19, Lavendier’s son, said he had attended the annual parade for as long as he could remember, and enjoys it because “it’s nice to see, and it’s nice to see friends.”
Ancients & Horribles parade “is more homey, has regular people, hometown, locals,” said Judith Kelly from East Providence. Kelly said she was familiar with Glocester having spent summers camping at Echo Lake. The grandmother, accompanied by family members from Burrilville and Warwick, had a shady spot under a tree to watch.
One family member, Linda Rivers, said she has attended Ancients & Horribles every year for 50 years because “it’s unique.” She recalled one year that the family participated, dressing as zombies. “It was fun.”
Gearing up for next year, the Glocester Parade Committee is now seeking volunteers.
Committee member Kathy Houghton said that volunteers can help with the fireworks night and that potential volunteers should know that putting on the event “is a lot of work, all day.”
Parade committee member Sandy Major said Kathy’s husband is a volunteer, “we can’t live without.”
“He aligns the parade so every one is in order,” she said.
Next year, rain or shine on the Fourth of July, is the centennial of the parade, as well as the 250th birthday of America, and planning is underway.
