North Adams hosts annual Fall Foliage Parade

NORTH ADAMS, Oct 06, 2008 (The Berkshire Eagle - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- WMT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- In the staging area of the 53rd annual Fall Foliage parade yesterday afternoon, the Taconic Pipe Band of Hoosick Falls, N.Y., was warming up.

The group of bagpipers were asked what they'd be playing that afternoon. Oh, all the standards, was the reply.

Ever think about playing something a little more, well, rock 'n roll-ish, they were asked.

"How about some AC/DC?" suggested one.

And with that, bagpiper Merrick Hard launched into an outstanding version of "Thunderstruck," AC/DC's early 1990s hit from its album "The Razor's Edge."

The "backstage" or staging area of the 53rd annual Fall Foliage Parade is actually several areas. There is the Wal-Mart parking lot just off Curran Highway, packed with cars and with local and regional bands rehearsing. There is the area behind Wal-Mart, where the Shriners assemble their legion of cars, motorcycles and other vehicles.

There is also Curran Highway itself, where dozens of floats and marchers assemble on both sides of the road.

"We have 17 bands, including seven local high school bands, and 10 professional bands," explained parade director Rod Bunt. "There are 12 floats and public service units from throughout the area."

Counting all the units, floats and banner carriers, Bunt said there will be 120 "elements" in the parade.

The secret of coordinating all this is to assign numbers to everything, according to

Dale Waterman, a member of the parade committee. Every float and band and marching unit gets a number, and when your number is called, you'd better be ready to go.

This year's Grand Marshal was ex-Major League Baseball commissioner and former Berkshire Eagle sports correspondent Fay Vincent.

Vincent worked for The Eagle while a student at Williams College, under former sports editor Roger O'Gara.

"Roger O'Gara was a great man," said Vincent, shortly before he was to be driven to the head of the parade. "He taught me how to write. 'Take out all the thats' is what he told me."

Vincent was asked who he liked in the World Series.

"Red Sox-Dodgers," he said without hesitation. "With the winner a tossup. I think that's the matchup the world wants to see. And I always root for (Dodger manager) Joe Torre, who is a gentleman. I remember thinking his (managing) career was over when he was fired from St. Louis (in 1995) and now he's going to be in the Hall of Fame."

Vincent was at the parade at the behest of his longtime friend, North Adams Mayor John Barrett III. Barrett was one of a host of politicians who were hanging around the front of the parade, waiting for it to start.

"We've known each other since Fay was at Williams," said Barrett, who met Vincent when Barrett was still a high school student in Williamstown. When Vincent relocated to Williamstown several years ago, the two were reacquainted.

"(Vincent) has always been very supportive of the city and the area," said Barrett." He does a lot of things, behind-the-scenes things, for people and organizations that he won't discuss.

"This is one of our biggest crowds in a couple years," said Barrett. "And (Vincent) is the reason."

"When John calls, I just show up," said Vincent.

This year was unlike the two previous years, in which rain fell for at least part of the parade. State Sen. Benjamin Downing was grateful for that.

"This is my third parade," he said. "The first two I marched in, it rained. I was beginning to feel I was jinxing it. I'm kind of relieved."

Gov. Deval L. Patrick was a little late, having to drive up from Connecticut. He showed up in a state police car and shook hands and slapped some backs.

Lest there be any misunderstanding, U.S. Rep. John Olver assured the media that the rest of the Massachusetts delegation was happy to wait for the governor.

"We're glad he decided to march with us," said Olver.

This is Olver's 17th Fall Foliage Parade. By his estimation, he has missed only one since being elected to Congress.

"I'm not sure anyone would actually remember if I missed one of these," he joked, "but I remember, at least."

While everyone was talking, organizers were asking participants to go to their assigned areas.

It was a little after 1 p.m., and the parade was about to start. The bands began warming up, drummers and horn players running through their chops. (The bagpipers returned to more conventional tunes.)

Bandleaders and float coordinators began silently counting heads to make sure no one was left behind.

The Shriners began lining up their formidable array of vehicles, looking not unlike a small army situating itself. The young people carrying the banners made sure they all faced the right way. A few participants rushed over to the food stand operated by the Rotary Club of North Adams, grabbing a quick hot dog before shipping out.

The day was not hot, but many marchers began storing water bottles on floats or in handbags or pockets.

A whistle blew. Fay Vincent's car slowly pulled away from the curb. The Drury High School Marching Band high-stepped smartly through the entrance to Wal-Mart, onto Curran Highway. The Shriners' cars, motorcycles, trucks and other assorted vehicles began gunning their engines.

It was time to go.

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