Annual Barnum Festival Concludes with Great Street Parade

Gray skies didn’t dampen anyone’s enthusiasm as thousands of spectators lined the route for Sunday’s Barnum Festival Great Street Parade, which brought to a close this year’s Barnum Festival.

Although a light rain fell throughout most of the two-plus-hour parade, they lined North and Park Avenues and Capitol Avenue; some of them with such colorful umbrellas that they looked like they were part of the line-up. For some their front porch was the viewing platform. Some looked out windows, others set up tents and picnics on their front lawn to watch thousands of marchers pass by including clowns, jugglers, drum corps, police units, civic organizations, politicians, high school marching bands, former Ringmasters and this year’s Royal Family.

“The floats were exceptionally beautiful this year. I loved the drum corps and the way the city really came together. Even though it was raining it was a good turnout,” said Bobby Kennedy, this year’s Grand Marshal. Kennedy is Bridgeport’s Deputy Director of Public Facilities and the first African American to serve as Grand Marshal.

This year’s parade, which paid tribute to first responders – police, fire, EMS, medical personnel, public works, utility crews and military veterans, was also special to Kennedy because it brought together the communities of Greater Bridgeport and their diverse citizenry; a sentiment that was echoed by U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal as he walked the route.

“Rain or shine, it’s the best parade in the state. It’s all about community and coming together. If you walk this route you see all races, religions, backgrounds and neighborhoods represented,” Blumenthal said.

“It celebrates the region. It’s one of the few things that brings all the communities together,” said Fairfield First Selectman Michael Tetreau, who was the Barnum Festival Prince in 1970.

New to the parade this year were the New York Royal Knights, a group of talented marchers, drummers, musicians and dancers from East Brooklyn, N.Y. They entertained the crowd all along the route and received a rousing round of applause at the reviewing stand.

Early in the first unit the musicians of Park City Pride set the party tone playing “Bourbon Street.” Others followed suit. Members of the Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, of Hawthorne, New Jersey, broke rank to get up close and personal with spectators even while playing their instruments. During a brief delay in the marching they talked with people in the crowd and answered children’s questions.

“It was great to have them come over. It was a surprise,” said Julie Lieberman who watched the parade with husband John and son Wyatt, 5.

In front of the reviewing stand LeBrecque Morrison of the Berkeley Knights of Waterbury pulled Jadiel Torres of Bridgeport from the crowd and invited the 5-year-old to play his drum. Monica Isaza and her daughter Arianna, 7, of Bridgeport, were also pulled into the performance of Uptown String Band.

Three generations of the Barr family sat along North Avenue. “It’s a tradition for us. We were born and raised in Bridgeport. This is always the best parade and this is the one we were brought up with,” said Audrey Barr, 65, who sat with her daughter Nicole Barr Williams, 40, and grandchildren Audra Barr, 24, and Kyle Barr, 15.

“We couldn’t have asked for more except, perhaps, better weather,” said Barnum Festival Executive Director Elaine Ficarra. “This parade, and this whole Festival, celebrates the cultural richness of Bridgeport and its neighboring communities all under the banner of P.T. Barnum, the greatest showman on earth,” she said.

“I had so much fun. I think everyone else did, too. Every group was passionate about what they were doing and what they’re group stood for,” said this year’s King, Matt Winkler of Monroe.

Natalie DeMeis, member of the Board of Directors for the Foundation for Life, an affiliate of Barnum Financial Group, said fund-raising is generally done through employee giving but this year Frank Carroll, the 2012 Ringmaster, and his wife Pat, heard about their efforts and purchased all 25 bikes for distribution to needy children.

Fourteen floats made their way down the parade route this year and the following won awards:
Best in Parade — United Illuminating/Southern Connecticut Gas UIL Companies
Ringmaster’s Award — Grand Marshal Bobby Kennedy’s float – ‘Connecting Communities’
President’s Award — ‘Caribbean Pirates’ from the West Indian American Association of Greater Bridgeport
Grand Marshal’s Award — Barnum Road Show float
P.T. Barnum Award — Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren float
Spirit Award — Juneteenth and City of Bridgeport Parks Department