LYME—The parade that began over 60 years ago with a beloved doctor’s pot-and-pan band remains a short and timeless tradition.
There’s not much in the way of rules at Lyme’s Fourth of July Parade, and the clock is more of a suggestion than an absolute. You could even say time stops for this simple slice of Americana.
But nobody told that to Lyme Selectman John Kiker.
“We’re running five minutes late,” he said shortly before the scheduled 10 a.m. start.
The first vintage car set off not much later from the apex of Cove Road with Grand Marshal Bill Hawthorne in the seat of honor. Less than a quarter of an hour later, the final MINI truck cleared the Esther and Bill Irving Bridge below.
Trailing the MINI across the 10-foot span over the cove, Kiker had the answer for those wondering just how much time had elapsed.
“Twelve minutes,” he said.
Lyme First Selectman David Lahm put it this way: “Don’t blink.”
Parade founder Dr. William D. Irving was memorialized in his obituary 10 years ago for starting the tradition “on a whim” in 1958. He stepped down as grand marshal in 2008.
For a half century, Irving maintained the parade “starts promptly at about 11 a.m.”
This time around, the annual town wide celebration got underway promptly at about 10 a.m.
Grand Marshal Bill Hawthorne, 88, served as the town’s treasurer for 26 years and treasurer of the Lyme Fire Company for 15 years. The lifetime resident was a volunteer firefighter from the age of 16 until his 50s. George Willauer served as Hawthorne’s chauffeur.
The Hamburg Fair contingent of Lyme’s Fourth of July Parade prepares to toss candy into the crowds lining Cove Rd. and Rte. 156.
The Lyme Parks and Recreation group brought along candy for paradegoers.
Kids from Camp Claire have been a mainstay in the parade since Irving’s time. The beloved Old Saybrook pediatrician also served as the camp physician.
Campers could be heard singing along to songs like Miley Cyrus’ Party in the USA and chanting “USA” along the parade route.
Lyme Ambulance filled out a heavy contingent of first responders as part of the town’s volunteer tradition.
Ambulance volunteers from the back of this Jeep broadcast the message “Lyme Ambulance thanks you for your support” throughout the parade route.
Nancy Kalal, known for working with oxen at her Cranberry Meadow Farm in East Lyme, brought a livestock contingent to the parade. Kalal said it was the first time out in public for Red, a 400-lb, 4-month-old red Holstein in training to be an ox. “Red behaved admirably,” she said afterward in an email. “He seemed to enjoy all the attention, and still pull the cart on my commands.”
Members of Lyme Pollinator Pathway represented butterflies, bees and other pollinators at the parade.
While kids all along the parade route dove into the road for candy, adults looked forward to bulbs of fresh garlic that were handed out again this year.
The Lyme Fire Department came out in force as a perpetual highlight in the community parade.
Enthusiastic honks and beeps reverberated across the cove as this vintage Chrysler brought up the rear of the parade.
Paradegoers on the sunny morning included those of the four-legged variety.
Fire apparatus prepared for the right turn into the Hamburg Fairgrounds as traffic resumed on Route 156, which was closed for the brief duration of the parade.
While Dr. Irving was known to hand out popsicles after the parade, members of the Lyme Recreation Commission laid out free hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and drinks at the Grange.
And that’s it until next year.
Editor’s Note: This article was updated with more information about Red, the ox-in-training.
