An anniversary 250 years in the making: Amherst celebrates founding with huge parade

By BOB FLAHERTY Staff Writer

Published on October 02, 2009

Rain or shine, came the words of organizers at 9 a.m. Sunday. The shine part never showed. But the Amherst populace did, throngs of 'em. The rain was coming down pretty steadily at 10, 11, 12, and was still going at 1:17 p.m. when Amherst's 250th Anniversary Parade stepped off from Amherst College. The parade didn't finish up until after 3 at the University of Massachusetts.

Octogenarians Mario and Rita DePillis secured their seats early on a bench on the corner of South Pleasant and Amity. He's from Philadelphia, she's from Missouri, and they met at the University of Chicago, one of those love-at-first-sight deals, at least in her mind. "He was a stunner," she said.

Umbrellas galore

They each had umbrellas for the parade, but his kept dripping into her lap. Their love endures, though, and they wanted their grandchildren to see the Budweiser Clydesdales.

Nearby, also perched in a coveted spot, were Art and Kathy Moffa from Philadelphia, sitting on either side of Laura Simon, who taught their son Artie, class of 2000, at Amherst College. The younger Moffa, though a Lord Jeff, played flute in the UMass Minuteman Marching Band, an unusual circumstance, which his parents called a "dual citizenship," the first one from Amherst College to do so. When Moffa approached band leader George Parks about the idea, Parks reportedly said, "If you can do it, you can do it." Moffa nailed the audition and hiked over there on Saturdays to play. Moffa calls Marks a "professor of life," not just music. Now a graphic designer out of Boston, the younger Moffa was there Sunday to support his beloved mentor as his band marched by and also to get together with family and teacher.

Suddenly, drums were heard from the vicinity of Amherst College; people huddled under overhangs now rushed to the curb and faced the rain completely. The 250th was under way.

In the lead cruiser was Amherst police officer Todd Lang, who was listening to the Pats game on the car's radio as he waved to the soggy crowd. As for how he scored such a plum assignment, Lang said, "If it weren't for this I'd be on a motorcycle."

"Hi, Grandpa!" cried out Lauren Joy and Conor Erickson, both 3, to Bob Joy, 78, a veteran of the Korean Conflict, who marched with other Veterans of Foreign Wars.

"I've got a lot of experience marching in rain," he said with a grin. The longtime Town Meeting member celebrates a dual anniversary next year: 50 years marching in parades and 50 years married to his wife, Jean, who cheered on the vets with other members of their large family from their spot underneath the shelter of a bus stop.

A big collective whoop went up for parade marshals Steve Puffer and Stan Ziomek, who were pulled in a horse-drawn wagon from Muddy Brook Farm. Ziomek, known as Mr. Baseball in this town, ran traffic control at the town's 200th 50 years ago. "The crowds were bigger then but not this enthusiastic," he said, tossing Tootsie Rolls to the crowd.

The Clydesdales went by but were apparently inside their enormous shiny red trailer, munching high-grade hay. An impressive enough vehicle, to be sure, but the horses were inside, not outside stomping their oversized hooves.

"It's their idea of cardboard cutouts," said Steve Reynolds of Amherst.

But any crowd disappointment was quickly squelched. The reaction to A.J. the miniature horse, representing Dakin Animal Shelter, was as enthusiastic as what the Clydesdales would have garnered anyway. People then gasped at the unusual sped-up gait of Caballos de Paso, whose three riders rode their mounts back and forth so the crowd might experience the full effect of the graceful deet-deet-deet of their hooves. "They're Paso Finos," said lead rider Jose Rubiero. "It's the name of the horse and the name of the gait."

A float from the First Congregational Church of Amherst came next, with the congregation, in pews, singing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" from hymnals. Floats from all the town's libraries soon followed, not to mention the big van from the Amherst Senior Center with seniors waving from inside.

"Listen! I hear bagpipes!" cried Seana Snow, 6, who can't get enough of the things. She was there with sister Ladajah, 9 and mom Lisa. The Quaboag Highlanders were soon upon them - pipes, drums, kilts and no fewer than 15 bagpipes strong. The girls' grandfather, Paul Cleaver, also marched by with the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

By 1:45 the rain had stopped. The crowds swelled along North Pleasant Street, on the curb and upper sidewalk.

Students from Amherst Tae Kwon Do quietly strolled by. Suddenly, their adult leader yelled "Go!" and they all executed a jump kick in unison.

Swimsuits past and present was the theme of the Amherst Tritons' float, which even featured cardboard swimmers in a pool, a safety rope separating swimmers from those who'd sink like a stone.

Hadley's tiny 1926 REO Speedwagon rolled by, looking fit to fight any fire put before it.

"Fifty percent less calories than those other operas!" cried a member of Valley Light Opera, whose colleagues were in dress rehearsal for "The Mikado."

As the parade turned toward the university, a full complement of sorority sisters from Iota Gama Upsilon cheered from the porch and windows of their house. "Best view in town," said senior Emily Zaiewski from California.

The Democratic Party was well represented by state Sen. Sen. Stan Rosenberg, state Rep. Ellen Story, U.S. Rep. John Olver, and Northampton Register of Probate David Sullivan, whose gait was as natural as a South Boston alderman.

Hatless Hatfield Selectmen Jeff Boyle, Darryl Williams and Ed Lesko braved the weather in a red Mustang convertible driven by firefighter Mike Kennedy.

A large contingent from the League of Women Voters recreated the days of women's suffrage, complete with Lucy Benson, national president of the league from 1968 to 1974, being driven in a '34 Model A.

A scale model Ferris wheel adorned the float from the Three-County Fair, top-hatted drivers giddyapped a stagecoach from the Hadley Farm Museum, and a single horse pulled an old hearse from same.

Then, with 50 gold flags heralding its arrival, came the "power and class of New England," the enormous UMass Minuteman Marching Band, with the always animated George Parks on the bullhorn. Forget politics and health care debates and who you might despise. Walking along in step with this maroon-clad unit as they roar through the "UMass Fight Song" is a singular moment, as patriotic as a stroll down the Freedom Trail.

"Whew," said Robi MacRostie, who went by on stilts, a giant 250th birthday cake round her waist. She's only been training on stilts for a little over a year and this is the longest distance she's covered. "My legs are tired," she said, but gamely forged on.

Wings, goalies and defensemen from the Amherst Hockey Association, in their trademark New York Rangers blue, followed their Zamboni from Orr Rink. An impressive float from Sunderland showed water cascading down many-colored native rocks of much variety. And just as you were lulled into such flowing peacefulness - BLAM - members of the 9th Massachusetts Artillery (1862 to 1865) fired their rifles, reloaded and fired again, gunpowder hanging in the air like history itself.