Lyme Celebrates ‘The Fourth’ With a Perfect Parade

LYME — UPDATED 7/6 WITH MORE PHOTOS AND ADDITIONAL TEXT: Thankfully pouring rain and dark skies at 9 a.m. did not determine the day. By 9:30 a.m., the sun was breaking through as Lyme’s perennially-popular hometown parade stepped off at 10:09 a.m.

This year’s Grand Marshal was Steve Mattson, pictured above left, who led the parade as a passenger in a vintage car driven by George Willauer. Mattson served as a Selectman on Town of Lyme’s Board of Selectmen for 17 years and then as First Selectman for five years, before retiring in 2022. He continues to serve the Town as a member of the Board of Finance.

The Grand Marshall’s car was followed very closely by a float portraying astronauts on the moon.

A vast number of Camp Clare campers came after the ‘astronauts.’

Next came members of Lyme Ambulance seeking more volunteers and passing out frisbees as incentives!

After that, there were two floats  announcing this year‘s Hamburg Fair on Aug. 18-20. The Fair Is always held on the third weekend of August — for more information, visit www.hamburgfair.org.

Next came the Lyme Garden Club, the Lyme Land Trust, and the Lyme Public Library.

I
t was a great day for “free”! Aside from the usual candy, given to children in generous amounts, the Garden Club was offering free native plants at the Lyme Public Hall following the parade.

Wendy Sutton passed out stickers that read, “Plant native for caterpillars – join the Pollinator Pathway.”

Bruce Noyes drove his World War II vehicle while his wife Tammy and Lyme First Selectman David Lahm traveled in style above!

Still more “free” was yet to come. Steve Evankow had a young passenger handing out huge bulbs of fresh garlic, softball-sized! Many recipients were delighted to receive this generous gift.

Cub Scouts followed close behind, and the parade adjourned by 10:15 a.m. to head for the Hamburg Cove Yacht Club to enjoy the traditional free popsicles.