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Horribles Parade Remembered

By Mike Torosian, Production Coordinator
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The Hopkinton Horribles Parade started in the 30’s with my great grandfather James McIntyre encouraging the neighborhood kids to dress up and decorate bikes and march up and down Pleasant Street. Over the years it transformed to include the whole town. In the 50’s the parade route would start on Pleasant Street and end on Wood Street where McIntyre Loam is now. There would be a big town cook out with food and pony rides.

As the years went on the parade would have ups and downs with participation until the 80’s or 90’s when Lilly and Lenny Holden took over organizing it. They worked really hard to revive the parade. There used to be judges that would be stationed at Colella’s parking lot meticulously judging the floats. Since that was the end of the parade route the judges were sure to walk around the Common first and do a pre-judging before the parade took off. Why is pre-judging necessary you ask? Well because the parade now has become a pretty big water fight between participants and spectators.

The water itself began when I was a child. We used to stash a few water balloons and water guns on our family float. We would stop at 29 Pleasant Street, my Uncle Tommy’s house, to have a family water fight. Over the years other floats and spectators joined the fun and now you’re soaked by the end of the parade.

This year I will be entering a water free float. I want to incorporate a water free section to the parade where participate don’t throw water balloons or have squirt guns and hope the participants will show restraint as well. We hope by doing this it will encourage more families with young children to participate who may not want to be involved in a town wide water fight.

The parade really is a fun outlet to poke fun at ourselves as well as what’s happened in the town. It shouldn’t be taken too seriously.

Colleen McIntyre Roy