Weather Does Not Diminish Park Road Parade

More than 100 groups and thousands more onlookers braved the elements on Saturday, Oct. 1 to be a part of the 13th annual .

The parade, which originally started as an effort to draw people to Park Road after a lengthy construction project, this year featured an array of entertainment from the Heartbeat Dixieland Jazz Band to the Parkville-area Portuguese Dancers.

“We’ve got participants here from [all over Connecticut], and each one brings a unique presence to the parade,” said Richard Patrissi, the parade’s organizer who is often referred to as the “Mayor of Park Road.”

The rain fell steadily as participants began to take their place in the parade line, however, once 10:30 a.m. came around and the procession began, the precipitation ceased.

For Patrissi, the break in the harsh weather could not have come at a better moment.

“Nervous? I wet my pants four times this morning,” he joked in response to that question. “I was really concerned this morning. I was getting calls from everybody, but I just had a gut feeling that [the weather would break] and it did.” 

The calmer weather seemed to beckon residents outdoors and onto the sidewalks as the end of the parade route — the intersection of Park Road and South Quaker Lane — saw crowds as many as six people deep from the curb.

According to Partissi, the commitment of these residents goes to show what this part of West Hartford is made of.

“This parade and this part of town has really influenced the rest of the community,” he said. “They came and they showed support when they didn’t have to come. To me, that says a lot.”