PRESS RELEASE

Contact:           Claire Moorhead

                        Town of Bristol – Community/Economic Development Coordinator

                        744-3354

Date:                August 11, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IMPORTANT PARADE CHANGES FOR BRISTOL OLD HOME DAY

BRISTOL  ¾ The planning committee for the Bristol Old Home Day has again decided to make some changes to this year’s Annual Old Home Day Parade set for Saturday, August 23, 2008. 

Due to a slow down in participant registrations, along with the serious drain on community and committee resources, the parade has been ‘downsized’ to only include the antique autos and entries of youth walking groups and decorated bicycles.

“Even though the registration deadline isn’t until August 18^th” stated Claire Moorhead, Bristol’s Community/Economic Development Coordinator, “we were concerned about the lack of early registrations.” “There is a great deal of work that goes into the parade, along with community resources in the form of police and fire coverage. The committee felt that our efforts would be better spent on enhancing the rest of the day and downsizing the parade to those participants that we are guaranteed to have” said Moorhead.

The original parade route was to begin at Freudenberg NOK on Route 104, but the parade route has now changed. The Antique autos will still gather and register at Bristol Shop n’ Save that morning, then travel back to North Main Street and Kelley Park. Any youths on bicycles or youth walking groups should meet at the entrance to Kelley Park by 10:15 am. Once assembled there, the parade will travel down North Main Street, across Pleasant Street and into the Town Square. Once in the Town Square they will loop around the common where the cannon is and head back towards and up North Main Street. The Antique autos will remained parked on North Main Street for display the remainder of the day.

It is anticipated that this shortened parade will last about 15 – 20 minutes and will only impact downtown parking and traffic for a minimal amount of time. The larger parade route would actually have impacted the traffic more significantly and for a longer period of time, and for such a small parade, the Town and the committee felt this impact on the community, its resources, its residents and its visitors was too great.

By downsizing the parade, and keeping the antique autos and kids involved we feel we can still offer a festive event to kick off a very full day of activities “says Moorhead.  Questions regarding the parade and Old Home Day should be directed to the Town of Bristol at 744-3354.

The Town of Bristol would like to thank Bristol Shop 'n Save for their sponsorship and support of Bristol Old Home Day.

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