OLD LYME — Continuing the highly successful tradition started in 2020 when a full graduation ceremony could not be held at Lyme-Old Lyme High School (LOLHS) due to COVID-19 restrictions, a car parade will be held Thursday, June 9, through Old Lyme to celebrate the graduating seniors of 2022.
The actual graduation event, which will be held in full this year with all the associated pomp and ceremony, will be held the following day, Friday, June 10, at the high school.
On the evening of Thursday, June 9, LOLHS seniors will gather at their school at 5 p.m. for ice-cream and car-decorating. They will then form a convoy of their cars at the school.
The parade will start at 6 p.m. and proceed from the LOL High School following the same route as the Old Lyme Memorial Day parade. This will take it down Lyme Street and continuing to the junction of McCurdy and Rte. 156.
The Old Lyme Fire, Police and Ambulance Departments will be participating, along with the Lyme Ambulance Association and Lyme Fire Company.
The hope is that the townspeople will line the route to celebrate the graduates with cheering, waving signs, honking horns and generally making a supportive noise.
The parade is anticipated to last until 7 p.m.
The parade organizer is the 2022 Safe Grad Committee, which extends special thanks to Matt Ward and Ray Belval.
Dottie Wells, who is also on the committee and has been heavily involved in arranging the parade, told LymeLine enthusiastically, “It is so nice how much support we receive from people in town, who want to come out and help the graduates and families celebrate this exciting moment in their lives. “