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Labor Day Parade Line Of March Announced

Published: Aug 29, 2025 7:00 am

Judges have received their instructions, 90+ groups have registered to be part of the line of march, and spectators can plan to drop off their place-holding chairs on Sunday afternoon along Main Street, Glover Avenue, and the northern section of Queen Street.

A longstanding tradition will return on Monday, September 1, when the 2025 Labor Day Parade steps off at 10 am from the corner of Main Street and Currituck Road.

Participants will travel south on Main Street, turn onto and follow the length of Glover Avenue, and then turn left onto Queen Street. The route concludes at the intersection of Queen Street and Church Hill Road.

Recently retired Animal Control Officer Carolee Mason will serve as grand marshal. She will lead the parade, along with her handpicked judges. Parade participants and spectators will celebrate the theme of “Pets On Parade.”

National Anthem, Road Closures

Crowds will again have two locations to join the singing of the national anthem. Susan Lang will lead “The Star-Spangled Banner” from the emcee stand at the Main Street flagpole. Ellie Lemieux will be near the judges’ stand on Queen Street to perform the national anthem.

Lang will then remain at her location, where she will again join former Newtown Bee Editor John Voket as a returning parade emcee there.

Emcees at the Queen Street bandstand will be Mike Giarratano and Jay Edwards.

The parade route will be fully closed to non-parade traffic by 9:30 am Monday, and will remain closed until at least 12:30 pm or until the final unit — this year, the Labor Day Parade Committee — finishes the route.

Newtown Police Department has announced closures could begin as early as 8 am as participants and spectators begin to arrive and set up. Closures could run as late as 3 pm, depending on the length of the parade and the clearing of all floats, vehicles and marchers.

Line Of March

Following is the 2025 Newtown Labor Day Parade line of march as provided by the Labor Day Parade Committee on Wednesday, August 27. Last-minute changes may occur before Monday morning.

Escort Division 1

(Stage at 77 Main Street)

Newtown Police Department

Newtown Police Motorcycle Unit

Newtown Police Department Honor Guard

Newtown High School Marching Band & Color Guard

Grand Marshal Carolee Mason, escorted by REACH Car Club

Parade Judges Melissa LaPak, Kim Macy, Anthony Mason and Emily Whitaker

Newtown Volunteer Ambulance

Newtown Savings Bank

Mary Hawley Public Service Award Winner Lee Paulsen, escorted by REACH Car Club

FAITH Food Pantry

Ingersoll Auto of Danbury

Maplewood Senior Living at Newtown

Teamsters Local 1150

Mattatuck Drum Band

Newtown High School Class of 1975

Rotary Club of Newtown

Dental Associates

Newtown Lions Club

Porco’s Karate Academy

Escort Division 2

(Academy Lane)

The Great American Fife & Drum

First Selectman Jeff Capeci

Selectman Dan Cruson Jr

Selectman Michelle Embree Ku

Second Company Governor’s Horse Guard

Newtown Democratic Town Committee, elected officials, candidates and those affiliated

Newtown Republican Town Committee, elected officials, candidates and those affiliated

Newtown Independent political parties, elected officials, candidates and those affiliated

State and Local Politicians

Division 1

(Johnny Cake Lane)

Gaelic Highland Pipe Band

Botsford Fire Rescue

CT Tiare Polynesian Dance Troupe, escorted by DH Schenzer Construction

Friends of Newtown Seniors

Newtown Youth Lacrosse

Bagel Delight

Pyramid Shriner Legion of Honor

2nd CT Volunteer Heavy Artillery Reenactment Group

American Legion Post 202 & Affiliates

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 308

Hope on Main Street

Newtown Centre of Classical Ballet & Voice

The Exceptional Sidekick Therapy Dogs

Families United in Newtown

Newtown United Methodist Church

Luke5Adventures-Bethel Chapter

Newtown Stage Company

Scouting America

Newtown-Strong Therapy Dogs

Lathrop School of Dance

St Rose of Lima School & Church

Division 2

(Currituck Road)

Sons of Portugal

Dodgingtown Volunteer Fire Company

New Heights Baptist Church

Baum Braces

Fiesta Del Norte, escorted by North County Landscape Management

Pyramid Shriner Motor Patrol

Around Town Team

World Champion Taekwondo

Ashurst School of Dance

Edmond Town Hall

Newtown Underwater Search And Rescue

Town & Country Garden Club of Newtown

“Elvis Presley,” escorted by Robb Rozz Plumbing

Jim Paprowski with 1929 Ford Custom Pickup, representing Castle Hill Farm, riding with Susan Rohleder Dayton, both graduating Class of 1959

Bob Miranti 1931 Classic Car

Greenlight Quartet

REACH Car Club Classic Cars

Glen Swanson 1982 Dodge

Jerry Cullen 2012 Camaro SS Convertible

ACES International Preschool and Childcare Center of Newtown

Division 3

(Martin Street)

St Peter’s Drum Corps

Sandy Hook Volunteer Fire & Rescue Company

Spotlight Dance Conservatory

Newtown High School Wrestling

Newtown Youth Wrestling

Newtown Baseball 9U

Newtown Baseball 10U

Newtown Baseball 11U

Connecticut Street Dance Community

Newtown Congregational Church

“Tina Turner,” escorted by North County Landscape Management

Division 4

(Currituck Road)

The Tappan Zee Bridgemen

Hawleyville Volunteer Fire Company

Newtown Cultural Arts Commission

The Dancers’ Choice CT, LLC

The Alphorn Guy

Rapadura Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Connecticut Alumni Senior Drum and Bugle Corps

Newtown Hook & Ladder Volunteer Fire Co. #1

Sporre Tree Service

Greater Danbury Area Unites for Immigrants-Newtown Division

Danbury Junior Hat Tricks Hockey

EverWonder Children’s Museum

Newtown Tractors

Newtown Labor Day Parade Committee

Connecticut Alumni Senior Drum and Bugle Corps marches north on Queen Street, approaching the end of the Newtown Labor Day Parade on September 2, 2024. The band, along with 90 additional registered groups, will be part of this year’s parade on September 1. —Bee Photo, Glass

A longstanding tradition will return on Monday, September 1, when the 2025 Labor Day Parade steps off at 10 am from the corner of Main Street and Currituck Road.

Debi Modzelewski Will Always Cherish Relationships She Made In Newtown’s Schools

CT United Ride Returning September 7

Run 4 Hunger Saturday, September 13

POP Planning Native Plant Sale, September 6 At 25 Main Street

Blessing Planned For Little Angels Shrine

I have to say, I don’t understand how this project could be considered “morally wrong.” That kind of language feels more like obstruction than constructive dialogue. What is morally wrong is leaving seniors in our community without enough housing options. Right now, Newtown does not have adequate senior housing, and the few developments that exist, like Naunawag Meadows, already have waiting lists. As for the comment that “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” that simply isn’t accurate. The system is broken when residents who’ve lived here their whole lives cannot find an affordable and appropriate place to age in town. Responsible development that balances environmental concerns, safety improvements (such as traffic calming measures and sidewalks), and the needs of our seniors is exactly the kind of planning Newtown should be doing. This isn’t about wanting or not wanting something in one’s backyard—it’s about building a community that takes care of its people. Please don't get scared away by the nimby mob.

Planning & Zoning Continues Discussion Of 12 Cold Spring Road

It seems a lot of the discussion around the flagpole focuses on vilifying drivers who pass on the right, but the real issue is being overlooked. If Chapter 248 Section 14-251 were enforced, we wouldn’t see this problem to begin with. That statute prohibits stopping in the middle of a roadway to yield to cross traffic—as so often happens with cars waiting to turn from Church Hill. When vehicles stop illegally in the travel lane, they effectively create a blockage. Other drivers then either sit through unnecessary delays or carefully pass around them on the right, which is fully permitted when the vehicle ahead is “illegally parked” in the roadway. Instead of punishing drivers reacting to the obstruction, enforcement should focus on the cause: vehicles unlawfully stopping and backing up traffic in the first place. If that behavior were addressed, the need to “go around” would largely disappear.

Borough Board of Burgesses Continues Traffic Safety Discussion

John, you raise an important point — these situations are tragic, complicated, and often far less clear-cut than the headlines make them seem. In the Fredericksburg case, the full facts still aren’t publicly known, and like so many of these stories, there’s conflicting information. It was apparently the back door at 3 a.m. — was it justified to use deadly force? We don’t know yet. What we do know is that the homeowner has been charged, and as you rightly noted, that is very serious. But this is also where perspective matters. These cases are quickly sensationalized in the news and on social media, yet when the dust settles, the outcomes are rarely publicized. People forget that in our system, you are innocent until proven guilty. Try to find much coverage of the convication in the case of the Fairfield Realtor vehicle homicide, or updates on the woman who shot her husband a couple of Christmases ago, or even the pedestrian death in Sandy Hook a year or so back. The follow-through simply isn’t there, and public opinion is often shaped only by the first round of headlines. At the end of the day, these situations remind us how split-second decisions in the middle of the night can change lives forever — which is exactly why the right to protect one’s property, home and family is so fiercely debated, and lucky constitutionally protected.

Late Night Prank Gone Wrong

First the low hanging fruit. Dave; it was a joke, please get over it. You are the only person in Newtown that thought I really wanted to build a stadium on 6 Commence Rd. Now on to Alex. You might not appreciate my writing style or my selection of words, but let's not loose sight of the fact that by responding to my letter in the manner that you did, you have removed any doubt whatsoever that you have no idea of the quantifiable benefits you are dismissing not only for the town, but also for protesters. Either you stopped listening at the word "ordinance" or you never started.. Your constitutional rights to assemble were never in question and would actually be strengthened and there would be literally no impediments. We could even title it "The Alex Villamil Ordinance" if you want. It could be your legacy and actually show Newtown your willingness to work in a bipartisan way for the betterment of the town. Businesses would be protected. Traffic wouldn't be interrupted. The town would save hundreds of thousands of dollars in police overtime. And maybe most importantly, the town could prevent another tragedy while mitigating legal risk in the event something terrible happens at a protest. Nothing bad could never happen in Newtown right? All that could be accomplished by a simple, non-intrusive ordinance unless all the detriments to our town are intentional in order to bring more attention to your cause. Alex, this was not me throwing a temper tantrum. Believe me, you will know it if that happens. I am just putting Newtown first. From that perspective, if you think critically, the regulation is necessary. It makes sense logically, rationally, and is reasonable. There is absolutely no down side. None. I would be willing to sit down with you to see if we could come to some type of compromise if you want. Let me know. You would be amazed how much you can accomplish when there is dialogue amongst neighbors.

It’s About Dialogue Amongst Neighbors — Not Regulation

A popular prank circulating on TikTok is “ding-dong-ditch” where a group of young people violently bang or kick someone’s door late at night and then “ditch” or run. On May 3 three high schoolers here in Fredericksburg Va. were participating in such a prank. One homeowner assumed, as in this case, an attempted break in and also took measures to defend his family and property. As the youths were running away he fired, striking an 18 year old graduating senior in the back killing him and seriously injuring a second youth. A wasted life, a family shattered, and the homeowner charged with murder.

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Labor Day Parade Line Of March Announced

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