Scenes From the Allston-Brighton Day Bicentennial Parade

The Allston-Brighton Day Parade took place on Sunday, September 23 following the Brian Honan 5-K Race and Walk. I missed out running the race due to a sore ankle, but watched it and the parade in their entirety. The events this year were part of the Brighton-Allston Bicentennial Celebration, which meant that there were far more entries in the parade, particularly marching bands.

While all the candidates joined in the parade, one of them also ran in the 5-K. Here's a look at Team Selvig a bit before he shook my hands with his sweaty one:


I didn't see Representative Kevin Honan running or walking, which I believe he did last year. Hope nothing's wrong.

Oddest thing? The parade was led by Mayor Menino. No, that's not weird. But he was alongside Westwood resident and former A-B District City Councilor Jerry McDermott. It has been a long time since anyone I know has seen McDermott around these parts. Welcome back to town!

OK, one more thing that was really odd: campaign literature handed out for Joe Jaworski, candidate for the Texas State Senate District 11. We've got enough candidates here already, take him away!

I think it was last year when At-Large City Councilor Felix Arroyo trailed his entourage by a full two, if not three, city blocks due to his thorough hand-shaking. This time he was just under two blocks behind his team -- the Councilor was personally handing-out candies to everyone, including the police -- and At-Large City Councilor Sam Yoon was even further behind his guys. But both were eclipsed by candidate Greg "Where's Waldo?" Glennon, who seemed to be just a few steps ahead of the street sweepers -- and probably four blocks behind his team. OK, maybe I exaggerate a little bit:


Speaking of Arroyo and Yoon: they teamed up to follow immediately behind candidate Tim Schofield, reinforcing their endorsements of his candidacy and attempting a bit of cross-pollination:


Note to Tim: bring along a big-@$$ car for the next parade!

Boston College Vice President Thomas Keady, Jr., found his next calling in life as a groupie trailing alongside the BC Marching Band. I'm not sure how much sleep he got after his midnight-3am shift in the BC Police patrol car last night.

Candidate Rosie Hanlon's entourage included her own white monster SUV, a gray convertible -- and an ambulance color-coordinated with her red-white-and-blue campaign signs. I'm not sure if she's appealing to the St. E.'s institutional expansion crowd or the elderly vote:


Candidate Mark Ciommo was definitely going after the elderly vote this time -- not the pirates, because everyone was wearing an official shirt -- with his trolley transporting seniors. Are those trolleys going to be seen all around town on Tuesday ferrying seniors to the polls? He was also right ahead of the Carpenters Local #40 group, another cross-pollination effort:


At-Large City Councilor Stephen Murphy didn't shake my hand. Again. Sure, I look like a bearded hippy with questionable personal cleanliness -- but I really did shower an hour or two earlier.

Prime Realty won the "Best Favor Award" again this year with their frisbee in a goodies bag. (EDIT 9/24 8:00 pm): I can't believe I forgot about Rosie Hanlon's hand towels! They were throwing us the the towels -- not to be confused with her throwing in the towel. I am changing this to a tie for the award.

At-Large City Councilor Michael Flaherty was way up there near the front of the parade -- trying to stay far ahead of the street sweepers pulling up the rear:


Note to the Councilor: there are no cars parked on this street because they got towed. It's kinda hard to have a parade with all those cars parked all over the place.

Finally, it wouldn't be a parade without a bit of performance art. Here's Ms. Brighton-
Allston with her two babies -- you guessed it, Brighton and Allston: