Overall 1st Place
Overall 2nd Place
Overall 3rd Place
Best Family Entry
Best Youth Entry
Most Patriotic Entry
Funniest entry
Best Civic Entry
Best Business Entry (New this year)
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2023 July 4th Parade Theme
The countdown is on!
The Chatham Independence Day Parade Committee is pleased to announce the theme for 2023:
“Timeless Chatham: Then, Now & Beyond“
The idea for this year’s theme was submitted by Norm Hodge, who wrote:
The Chatham Historical Society is turning 100 this year and our Centennial Committee is working towards Bringing History to Life as well as telling our stories along with educating people about the Atwood Museum, our memories, collections and the history of our special town.
Parade participants will use the theme for inspiration to design their entries. Entries cannot be judged for prizes if they do not incorporate the theme in their entry! Thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets of downtown Chatham for this year’s Independence Day Parade on Saturday, the Fourth of July.
Prize categories for float entries will be announced by the end of March and the entry form will be available in Mid-May. At that time you can go to the committee’s webpage, chathamparade.com, to register online or download the form. Nominations for Parade Grand Marshal will be accepted during the month of May and the decision will be announced in June.
It’s hard to believe that the parade is a little over three months away. By announcing the theme now, we hope prospective entrants will have plenty of time to design their entries. We look forward to yet another year of clever, imaginative, and all-around fun floats.
2022 Award Winners
Thank you to everyone who participated in the 2022 parade! Your creativity and enthusiasm make this parade what it is!
Here are the 2022 award winners selected by the judges:
Overall 1st Place – Phillips Farm Family
Overall 2nd Place – Monomoy Yacht Club
Overall 3rd Place – Chatham Bars Inn
Best Family Entry – The Fitzgerald Family
Best Youth Entry – EXITMERCH
Most Patriotic – Kenny Owens Memorial Cup
Best Civic Entry – Rotary Club of Chatham
Most Funny Entry – Depot Dogs
Best Use of Technology – Cape Cod Power Squadron
Most Environmentally Friendly – Stage Harbor Yacht Club
The awards will be presented at the July 12th Select Board meeting.
2022 Grand Marshal, Judges, & Singer Announcement
We are proud to announce some of the esteemed participants in the 2022 Chatham July 4th Parade:
GRAND MARSHAL
The Grand Marshal for the 2022 parade will be Tommy Doane.
This year’s Grand Marshal truly embodies the spirit of a “Salty Chathamite”. Tommy has deep family roots in Chatham and does many things for the town such as serving on the Finance Committee. He is a friend and supporter to everyone. He has a deep history and love for Chatham. It is said about Tommy that he always lends a hand but never takes any credit or glory!
Tommy will be driven in the parade along with his wife by his neighbor in his own Jeep!
JUDGES
The Judges for the 2022 parade will be:
- Ginny Nickerson – Ginny will be returning as our “Lead Judge this year. Ginny is a 12th generation “Chathamite” and past president of the Historical Society. It was said that “If there was a Ms Chatham, Ginny would be a hands down winner of the title.”
As you all know it is tradition for the Monomoy Regional High School Valedictorian to be asked to be a judge for the parade. Well this year we had a remarkable occurrence at Monomoy. Twin sisters were named Valedictorian and Salutatorian. So we asked them both to serve as judges.
- Nicole Peterson – Nicole was the valedictorian of the class of 2022 at Monomoy High School. She will be studying Neuroscience at Harvard in the fall and hopes to become a doctor.
- Victoria Peterson – Victoria was the salutatorian of the class of 2022 at Monomoy High School. She will attend Cornell in the fall where she will study Business and Hotel Administration.
Both are lifelong Chatham residents.
NATIONAL ANTHEM SINGER
This year’s National Anthem will be sung by Will Mulholland. Will is a Chatham Resident and served as the Class of 2022 President at Nauset Regional High School. Will is going to attend the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in the fall.
Essential Information for Parade Participants
2022 Theme – “Chatham: Salty as Ever!”
ESSENTIAL INFORMATION FOR ENTRANTS – PLEASE READ THOROUGHLY
Rules for Participation (developed in conjunction with the Chatham Police Department):
- Throwing anything to the crowd, including candy and flyers, is strictly prohibited. This creates a potentially dangerous situation with implications for health, safety and injury.
- No float apparatus or act can exceed 14 feet in height from street level and width must not exceed 8 feet.
- All Entries and displays must be free from images reflecting cruelty, denigration or abuse to persons or groups, because of race, creed, gender or economic status.
- Emergency vehicles must be given the right of way at all times.
- Participants must remain grouped within parade boundaries or as directed by the Police or Parade Monitors. If the parade stops, participant groups must remain together. Unauthorized stops along the parade route are not permitted.
- It is essential to keep pace throughout the parade for the best experience for spectators and other entrants.
- Drinking alcoholic beverages is prohibited while in line before the start of and during the parade.
- The Parade Committee would like to recommend that entries not use helium balloons. Balloons pose a serious threat to wildlife if they are released. Whales, turtles, seabirds and other animals have all been killed by mistaking balloons for food and swallowing them. Let’s keep Chatham healthy!
These rules are for the safety of everyone. Not following them will jeopardize your participation in future parades.
Logistics of Parade:
- All entrants must be checked in and in parade position at your numbered staging area on Shore Road no later than the times designated below:
- Entry #1 through #25 check in between 7:00am – 7:30am
- Entry #26 through #50 check in between 7:30am – 8:00am
- Entries #51 and up check in between 8:00am – 8:30am
- All entrants must be in parade position by 8:30am
- Position number must be displayed on the LEFT side of the Entry.
- The parade begins at 9:30am at the intersection of Shore Road and Main Street, and finishes at the intersection of Crowell Road and Tip Cart Road. Please adhere to police instructions for exiting the parade area.
- For entrants wishing to park at the Monomoy Regional Middle School, a shuttle bus will take you to Shore Road. This shuttle will run starting at 6:30am. The shuttle will run from the end of the parade back to the Monomoy Regional Middle School.
Parade Judging:
- To qualify for an award, the Entry must be consistent with the parade theme.
- All awards are determined solely at the discretion of the Judges.
- Entries are viewed by Judges along the parade route. The Judges’ reviewing stand is located on the lawn of the First United Methodist Church at the intersection of Main Street and Cross Street. Please do not stop here and delay the parade.
- Your Entry may win more than one award.
Parade Award Categories:
- 1st Place – Overall Best Entry will be recognized by an engraved brass plaque on the Chatham Parade Trophy displayed at Town Hall.
- 2nd Place Entry
- 3rd Place Entry
- Best Youth Entry (participants under
18 years old) - Most Patriotic Entry
- Funniest Entry
- Best Family Entry
- Best Civic Entry
- Most Environmentally Conscious Entry
- Best Use of Technology
All of the category award winners will receive a custom-designed engraved plaque which will be presented at an awards ceremony during a Select Board meeting later in July.
THE PARADE ORDER HAS BEEN SET FOR THE 2022 INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE!
Name of Organization or Individual
Chatham Police Department
Chatham Veterans
Chatham Veterans' Auxiliary
USCG Station Chatham
US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Cape Cod Flotilla 11-1
Chatham Fire Department (w/ others)
Chatham Town Flag
Chatham Select Board
Chatham Town Band
Grand Marshal1 Phillips Farm Family
2 John Cassaboon
3 Roger Miller owner
4 Jean Bongiovanni
5 Ted Whittaker & Friends
6 Donald Baker
7 Nick Genoese
8 Bob McAuliffe
9 Model A club of cape cod
10 Cliff Stalker
Name of Organization or Individual
11 Walter Blackett
12 Charlene and Robert Guigli
13 Andy Hurley
14 Robert Carleton
15 7 Sisters Florals
16 Highland Light Scottish Pipe Band
17 Redemption Rock Church
18 Wicked Wavy Swim School
19 Rotary Club of Chatham
20 Boot Camp Chatham
21 Wellfleet veterinary hospital
22 Magner Family
23 Cape Cod Fiddlers
24 Chatham Athletic Association (Chatham Anglers)
25 Goodies
26 Tucker MacDonald / Tide Guide App
27 Chatham Hood Bikes
28 Cape Cod Beach Chair Co.
29 Chatham Boy Scouts Troop 71
30 Lilly Pulitzer
31 Monomoy Yacht Club
32 Chandler Travis Philharmonic
33 Puzio Eyecare Associates
34 Slightly Tooned
35 The Black Dog
36 Depot Dogs
37 The FitzGerald Family
38 Chatham Squire
39 Squire Mobile
40 Joy Street Kids
41 Cape Shark
42 DY Marching Band
43 Witches On the Water, Inc.
44 The Fisher Family
45 EXITMERCH
46 Ken Owens Memorial Soccer Jamboree
47 Dance Therapy 508
48 First Night Chatham
49 Chatham Yacht Club
50 Coxswain Media, LLC.
51 Protect Our Past
52 Southern Tide Chatham
53 Chatham Bars Inn
54 Mason Axford
Name of Organization or Individual
55 Cape Cod Power Squadron (America’s Boating Club Cape Cod)
56 Chatham Conservation Foundation and Americorps Cape Cod
57 The Chatham Fiddle Company
58 Summer Sitters
59 Chatham Pottery
60 Cape Cod Cousins
61 Steve Morgan and the Kingfish
62 Chatham Republican Town Committee
63 Committee to Elect Melissa Alden
64 Oyster River Boatyard
65 The Beach Fire Shop
66 The Place Holders
67 Chatham Democratic Town Committee
68 Stage Harbor Yacht Club
69 MAHI GOLD
70 Lauzon Committee for State Senate
71 Cape Cod’r
72 Yarmouth Minutemen
That’s All Folks
2021 Award Winners
Congratulations to the award winners of the 2021 Chatham Independence Day Parade!
Overall Winner: Phillips Farm Family
2nd Place Overall: Chatham Yacht Club
3rd Place Overall: Eventide Landscaping & Irrigation/Goodies
Best Youth Entry: Chatham Yacht Club
Most Patriotic Entry: Ken Owens Memorial Soccer Jamboree
Best Civic Entry: First Night Chatham
Funniest Entry: Chatham Drama Guild
Best Family Entry: The Magner Family
Best Use of Technology: Monomoy Yacht Club
Most Environmentally Conscious Entry: Oyster River Boat Yard
Thank you for another wonderful parade! We could not do this without your enthusiasm, creativity, and support! We look forward to seeing you again next year!
THE PARADE ORDER HAS BEEN SET FOR THE 2021 INDEPENDENCE DAY PARADE!
| Number | Name |
| Chatham Police Department | |
| Chatham Veterans | |
| Chatham Veterans’ Auxiliary | |
| USCG Station Chatham | |
| US Coast Guard Auxiliary, Cape Cod Flotilla – (Chatham) | |
| Chatham Fire Department (w/ others) | |
| Chatham Town Flag | |
| Chatham Select Board | |
| Grand Marshalls | |
| 1 | Phillips Farm Family |
| 2 | Bob’s Beach Finds |
| 3 | Oyster River Boatyard |
| 4 | Boot Camp Chatham |
| 5 | Chatham Fiddle Company |
| 6 | Ken Owens Memorial Soccer Jamboree |
| 7 | Chatham Valet Inc. |
| 8 | America’s Boating Club Cape Cod Sail and Power Squadron |
| 9 | MA Det of Conservation and Rec Bureau of Forest Fire Control |
| 10 | DY Band |
| 11 | Tony Pearl |
| 12 | John Cassaboon |
| 13 | Andy Hurley |
| 14 | Walter Blackett |
| 15 | The Fisher Family |
| 16 | Southern Tide (Resort Retail Group) |
| 17 | Robert Carleton |
| 18 | Burton Staniar |
| 19 | The Black Dog |
| 20 | Guigli Family |
| 21 | Hoyda Family |
| 22 | John Avery |
| 23 | Rich Deyermond |
| 24 | Cliff Stalker |
| 25 | Cape Shark Co |
| 26 | Chatham Republican Town Committee |
| 27 | The Magner Family |
| 28 | Highland Light Scottish Pipe Band |
| 29 | Witches on the Water |
| 30 | Slm entertainment |
| 31 | Copper Moon Landscape & Design, Inc |
| 32 | Chatham Works |
| 33 | Protect Our Past |
| 34 | Chatham Drama Guild |
| 35 | Escape Landscape/Bridges For The Fallen |
| 36 | MONOMOY YACHT CLUB |
| 37 | Squire Mobile |
| 38 | Fisherman’s Daughter |
| 39 | Eldredge Public Library |
| 40 | First Night Chatham |
| 41 | Chatham Town Democratic Committee |
| 42 | Primabee |
| 43 | Summer Sitters |
| 44 | Chatham Squire |
| 45 | Meservey Motorsport |
| 46 | The Lueck Rosenson Family |
| 47 | Chatham Yacht Club |
| 48 | Chandler Travis Band |
| 49 | Eventide Landscaping & Irrigation + Goodies |
| 50 | Cape Cod Beach Chair Company |
| 51 | Stage Harbor Yacht Club |
| 52 | Cape Cod Fiddlers |
| 53 | Chatham Bars Inn |
| 54 | JFW Photography |
| 55 | Lower Cape Community Access Television Inc |
| 56 | Fleeting Moments Photography |
| 57 | CareWell Urgent Care |
| 58 | Steve Morgan and the Kingfish |
| 59 | MAHI GOLD |
| That’s All Folks |
2021 Parade Prize Categories
The July 4 th Parade Committee has announced the prize categories for this year’s float entries. While the Select Board will make a decision June 1 st on whether the parade will be in-person or virtual, the Committee still plans on awarding prizes for entries inspired by this year’s parade theme: “Chatham: From ‘Shell-tering” by the Sea to Celebrating a New Beginning”.
The categories are as follows:
- Best Overall Entry
- 2nd Place
- 3rd Place
- Best Youth Entry
- Best Patriotic Entry
- Best Civic Entry
- Best Funny Entry
- Best Family Entry
- Best Use of Technology
- Most Environmentally Friendly
Parade entry forms and nominations for Parade Grand Marshal will be available in early May. Whether in-person or virtual, the Committee looks forward to another year of clever and imaginative floats and all-around fun, in the same spirit that Chatham has always celebrated the Fourth of July!
2021 July 4th Parade Theme
The countdown is on!
The Chatham Independence Day Parade Committee is pleased to announce the theme for 2021:
“Chatham: From ‘Shell-tering’ by the Sea
to Celebrating a New Beginning”
This past year has been an extraordinarily difficult time for so many of us, but Chatham residents have made the best of it by “shell-tering” in place: Zooming with friends and family, doing puzzles and reading books, helping children with their virtual schooling, working from home, practicing yoga and mindfulness, baking up a storm, AND walking our beautiful beaches. BUT, as COVID begins to ebb and vaccines begin to flow, we’re excited to turn the corner and celebrate a new beginning!
While the Committee hopes to host a traditional in-person parade, it recognizes that the pandemic may require us to offer a virtual event again this year. The Select Board will make the live vs. virtual decision by June 1st. If a virtual event is necessary, the Committee will put together a much more elaborate offering so that people can really put their all into their entries. Either way, parade participants are asked to use the theme for inspiration for their entry design.
Prize categories for float entries will be announced by the end of March and the entry form will be available in early April.
If you are on our email list, we will email you when the form is posted. We will also post about it on our website and social media.
Nominations for Parade Grand Marshal will be accepted during the month of May and the decision will be announced in June.
We look forward to yet another year of clever, imaginative, and all-around fun floats, whether we see them virtually or on Main Street!