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.

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.

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!

We are proud to announce some of the esteemed participants in the 
2019 Chatham July 4th Parade:

GRAND MARSHAL

The Grand Marshal for the 2019 parade will be Ivan Bassett, a lifelong resident of Chatham and beloved fixture in the community.  As a signalman in World War II, Mr. Bassett served in every major battle in the Pacific, including Iwo Jima and Okinawa, and won 10 battle stars.  After the war, he returned to Chatham, married and raised a family, and worked for the local fire department and school system. We can’t think of a more perfect individual to represent this year’s parade theme, “Chatham Honors You! Service Members Past, Present, Future.”  

JUDGES

The Judges for the 2019 parade will be:

• Danielle Jeanloz, Executive Director of the Atwood House and Museum
• Patricia Vreeland, former Chatham High School nurse and volunteer extraordinaire
• Perry Comeau, Valedictorian of Monomoy Regional High School Class of 2019

MASTER OF CEREMONIES AND SINGER

Sarah Colvin, local Cape Cod broadcast journalist, will return as Master of Ceremonies, and after a wonderful performance last year, Brooke Linnell, Nauset Regional High School Class of 2017, will sing our National Anthem!  

The countdown is on!  The Chatham Independence Day Parade Committee is pleased to announce the theme for 2019:

“Chatham Honors You! Service Members Past, Present, Future”

The idea was submitted by Sam Foley, 9, in honor of his grandfathers who both live in Chatham and served in the military. Sam lives in England but spends his summer vacations here. With a backdrop of this year’s 75^th anniversary of D-Day, which changed the course of WWII, we honor all men and women who have served our country, not just the veterans of WWII but of all wars and those who have served during peacetime. We also honor Chatham’s contributions – the Marconi Center, Naval Base formerly on Eastward Point, Coast Guard at Chatham Light – as well as the many soldiers, sailors, and airmen and women who have and will protect us.

Parade participants will use the theme for inspiration to design their entries to honor our veterans. Thousands of spectators are expected to line the streets of downtown Chatham for this year’s Independence Day Parade on Thursday, the Fourth of July.

It’s hard to believe that the parade is a little over five months away. By announcing the theme now, we hope prospective entrants will have plenty of time to design their entries.

Prize categories for float entries will be announced by the end of February and the entry form will be available in early March. Go to the committee’s webpage, chathamparade.com, to download the form. Forms will also be emailed to previous entrants in hopes of them joining us again.

Nominations for Parade Grand Marshal will be accepted during the month of May and the decision will be announced in June.

Aside from Veteran’s Day, we can’t think of a finer day to honor our veterans than on the day our country celebrates our Independence, July 4^th. We look forward to yet another year of clever, imaginative, and all-around fun floats.