43rd Annual 2008   Gaspee Days Parade Erin Flynn, Chair	Digital Photo Collage courtesy R. Joanne Johnson
Saturday, June 14th, 2008 Starting at 10:00 am	Narragansett Parkway, Warwick into Broad Street in Cranston through Pawtuxet Village, RI
In June of 1772 brave colonists from Rhode Island burned the British revenue schooner, HMS Gaspee, in what has become recognized as the first overt action leading to the American Revolutionary War. Since 1965 the village of Pawtuxet, RI has commemorated this act with our annual Gaspee Days Parade. Please Scroll Down

• Featured Parade Groups
• Suggestions for Our Parade Audience
• Parade Applications
• General Rules for Parade Participants
• Maps to All Gaspee Days Events

2008 Gaspee Days Parade Grand Marshals: Children of Our Deployed Military Forces
Children of deployed RI National Guards men and women will represent the RI National Guard Family Program by riding in the 43rd annual Gaspee Days Parade in two trolleys. The trolleys with the “guests of honor” will appear in the second division of the parade under the guidance of Ms. Laura Paton; State Youth Coordinator for the RI National Guards Family Program. We encourage everyone to come cheer the Grand Marshals on.
Featured Parade Groups of 2008: The forecast for the 2008 Parade is  sunny and clear!	Middlesex County Volunteers Fife & Drum Pawtuxet Rangers Fife & Drum, and Militia Lexington Minutemen Uptown String Band (the Mummers) Swinging Squaredancers Crews of the USS Rhode Island

• Since 1965, the Gaspee Days Committee has produced the very best community activities celebrating Rhode Island's revolutionary heritage. The Gaspee Days Parade is ALWAYS on the second Saturday of June between the hours of  10 am and 1 pm.  Parade line-up considerations, however, dictate that we close to traffic certain sections of the parade route by 9 am.  As you know, traffic jams are a nightmare at these times.  If you have guests coming to watch the parade, or for any other reason, please have them arrive well ahead of time, say by 8 am. Of course, no one may leave until the parade has fully passed.
• The Gaspee Days Parade consists of 10 to 12 Divisions:
• Division 1-State of Rhode Island
• Division 2-Pawtuxet Village
  
• Division 3-Colonial & Revolutionary Groups
  
• Division 4-Colonial & Revolutionary Groups
  
• Division 5-Colonial & Revolutionary Groups
  
• Division 6-Colonial, 1812, and Civil War Groups
  
• Division 7-Shriners & Associated Groups
  
• Division 8-City of Warwick
  
• Division 9-City of Cranston
  
• Division 10-City of Providence
  
• Division 11-Modern Groups
  
• Division 12-Modern Groups, including the Mummers Groups
  
• Of course, the Parade is a complex and dynamic event, so we don't know the exact order of march for all of these groups until just a few days beforehand.
  
• As you also know by now, the 5K Road Race has grown into a big event that immediately precedes the Parade, starting at 9:45.  This requires the full closure of the Parade route after  9:30 am
• Please make the effort to control your children at all times.  We fear that children may run out into the Parkway and be injured by Parade vehicles.  Ensure that your kids understand that they must stay next to you at all times before, during, and after the Parade.  Lost children are always a potential problem in any crowded area.  If you have children with you, have a plan of what to do if you become separated from your child, and discuss this with them ahead of time. Uniformed policemen are stationed periodically along the Parade route for your assistance if necessary.
• To ease boredom prior to the Parade bring coloring books, games, or some other such time filler.  Be aware that some adults carry coolers and cigarettes at head level to a child.  Young skin is very sensitive to the sun; carry along sunscreen, hats, and sunglasses. If you are supervising a child, please don't drink alcohol.  Open containers of alcoholic bevereges in public areas are illegal in both Warwick and Cranston.
• Please be considerate of our environment and take the trash left around you, with you.
• Please do not throw objects at or into the path of our Parade participants.  Poppers can injure people if thrown into the face, and show disrespect to people who have traveled great distances to march in our Parade.  Silly string is outlawed by city ordinance, and can ruin expensive uniforms on marchers, and damage paint on vehicles. Firecrackers and sparklers are both dangerous and illegal.
• Pets should be left at home.  Animals will get overexcited by the crowds and noise and may become a danger to others and themselves.
• Please do not allow persons on bicycles, skateboards, or rollerblades onto the Parade route.  They are dangerous for both our Parade participants and the audience along the sides of the Parade route.
• If your house is situated along the Parade route, and it will be a hot and humid Parade day, we ask that you consider running a garden hose out to the Parkway for the use of overheated people.  Limit abuse of the hose by opening the tap so that only a slow stream of water comes out.  Even a small trickle of cold water can rapidly cool down an overheated person.
• If you encounter persons suffering heat related illness, please offer the brief use of an air-conditioned car if you have one parked in your driveway.  This is one of the quickest ways to cool down a person with heat illness.  Of course, you may have to run the car with the A/C on for a few minutes before putting the person in to cool down.  This time can be used to assess the person, offer them cold water to drink, and have the hose water cool them off.  Further information on treating heat-related illness can be found at:
http://www.kidshealth.org
• Of course, it may be necessary to call 911 if there is a true medical emergency.  Inform the 911 dispatcher about the Parade and that it may be best for the rescue vehicle to approach via the side roads.
• If your house in located along the Parade line-up area on Narragansett Parkway between Warwick Avenue and Spring Green, you will of course not be able to drive your vehicle directly to or from your house between 9 am and 12 pm on the day of the Parade.  Please inform us ahead of time at 781-1772 if diesel fumes from some Parade vehicles parked outside your house would seriously affect any members of your household. For people that park along the Parade route, please understand that you will not be able to drive out of the area via Narragansett Parkway or Broad Street until well after the end of Parade has passed.
  
• The Gaspee Days Arts & Crafts Festival has also grown over the years.  This will always be on Memorial Day Weekend, requiring the closure of Narragansett Parkway between Post Road and Canonchet Street between the hours of  9 am to 5 pm each day.  Please forewarn your visitors of the steep fines ($50) for parking illegally.  Again, help us keep a safe environment by preventing children from using bicycles, skateboard, or rollerblades in the Festival area.
• The Gaspee Days Committee sincerely appreciates your patience with the festivities throughout the years.  We will be celebrating our 43rd year in 2008; and no Parade runs smoothly without the combination of a lot of planning, dedication, hard work, and luck.  So laugh with us, join in the fun, and help us relive 'America's First Blow for Freedom'®.
• For further information on any Gaspee Days Event, please call us at 781-1772, or visit our website at http://www.gaspee.com…. Better yet, consider joining the Gaspee Days Committee and become a part of our great community activities.

If your group would like to consider joining us in the upcoming Parade please submit an application or contact us for further information. Scroll down this page for Parade participation rules.  Application forms are available on-line by type of group, and both require you have the free Adobe Reader installed:

• Application form for Entertainment Group   (Fife & Drum Corps, Militia, Marching Band, etc.)

• Application form for Non-Profit Community or Civic Group  (including floats)

The following Parade Guidelines are offered for those groups anticipating participating in the Gaspee Days Parade. These guidelines are general, and are subject to revision by the Parade Chairperson prior to the event.

• There will be an information desk near the Parade start marshaling area
• Your Parade check-in and line up area is along Narragansett Parkway east of Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI on the Saturday of the Parade. Please see the map for directions and details. All Parade participants are to park near and report to the beginning of the Parade route. We have good parking availability at several lots located convenient to the Parade staging area in Warwick. These lots are located at Pilgrim High School, and the Pilgrim Senior Center, both on Pilgrim Parkway, and the John Brown Francis Elementary School, and the Sawyer School, both on Miantonomo Drive. Priority parking for cars will be at John Brown Francis School, and for buses at Sawyer School.
• We will have shuttle buses available at the Parade end to shuttle Parade participants back to these lots upon completion of each group's march route. Full groups only will board these shuttle buses. Because of traffic, we cannot allow other drivers to bring their buses to the Parade end for groups not mustering.
• Groups participating in the Muster following the Parade will be allowed to have their driver bring their bus down to the Parade end at Rhodes-on-the Pawtuxet after 1:00 p.m.
• The leader of each participating group must now check-in directly with the assigned division coordinator along the Parade line-up area. If your group is under contract, get an acknowledgment receipt from your division coordinator.
• All members and all Parade equipment must be in place in the Lne-Up area itself.  No one is allowed to join up later and no thing is to be added later along the Parade route.
• The Parade is on a rain or shine basis, although we have had two cancellations over the years due to hurricanes and torrential rain. Your group is expected to be in place along the Parade route between 9:00 and 9:30 AM. All floats and other vehicles must be in position no later than 9:00 AM. Late arrivals who are not able to be placed in their assigned division will not be counted as participating. In general marching groups are lined-up on the South side of the parkway, while floats and vehicles line-up on the North side. Your group will be counted for participants halfway down the Parade route. We do not count support personnel such as water bottle carriers, or non-uniformed adult chaperones.
• We strive to give musical groups enough separation to play their music free from interference by other musical groups. We accomplish this by carefully planning each groups position in the Parade, and by using various non-musical "filler" groups or floats to provide adequate spacing. We try to consider group charter dates when positioning units. The Parade is, however, a dynamic event that requires much last minute adjustment. Please be patient and cooperate with your Division Coordinator, particularly with respect to spacing. There must never be more than 100 feet between groups (the distance between two telephone poles), preferably less.
• Units may perform as they are marching. A unit may not stop to perform unless the entire Parade has otherwise stopped, or are specifically asked by the Parade Chairperson to perform at the review stand.
• Sound equipped floats must NOT EXCEED 100 WATTS of amplification. Music or other sounds must be consistent with the Parade's Colonial-Patriotic Theme. Sounds must be projected from sides only and maintained at a volume low enough so as not to interfere with bands and other marching units participating.
• Safety of our Parade crowd is of utmost concern. Each Parade participating group must be responsible not only for their own safety, but also for the safety of the public audience around them. Vehicle drivers are solely responsible for the safe operation of their vehicle, and must remain with their vehicle at all times.  All floats must carry a fire extinguisher that is easily accessible.  Participants must obey uniformed police officers at all times. Dangerous stunts are not allowed and will result in ejection from the Parade.
• Cannon and musket toting groups must not fire in the immediate vicinity of horses in the Parade. Barrels of cannon and muskets must be aimed away from people.
• No items such as candy or prizes are to be thrown, and no substances such as bubbles are to be blown or sprayed, anywhere from, or near to, any Parade vehicle, float, or horse, since small children will run out into the road. No balloons are to be given out since these compete with our paying vendors.
• No alcoholic beverages may be consumed by Parade participants until after they have finished their Parade route. Open containers of alcoholic bevereges in public areas are illegal in both Warwick and Cranston.
• Parade groups with horses or animals of any kind must each provide people to perform immediate "pooper scooper" duties. Due to safety concerns, we DO NOT ALLOW privately owned horses in the Parade.  Corporate or Municipally owned horses must be insured by their owners.
• Immediately bring to the attention of your division coordinator any unsafe or troublesome conditions (such as people spraying Silly String, banned by city ordinance).
• You group may not in any way solicit funds or donations of any kind from the Parade audience.
• No crass commercial, sexual, political, or religious themes are allowed during the Parade. Sponsors of groups or floats are allowed only minimal signs on truck doors, etc. Please remember the colonial-patriotic theme of the Parade.  Open containers of alcoholic bevereges in public areas are illegal in both Warwick and Cranston.
• Current and future participation of any person or group in the Parade is a decision made solely by the Gaspee Days Committee, which reserves the right to exclude any such person or group not conforming to these guidelines and other considerations.
• Please write down all comments about your Parade experience, good or bad, on the Participant Survey.
• As a sign of the times, please realize that future Parade operations will depend more heavily on computers.  If your group does not have a web site or, at least an e-mail address, we may find that contacting your group may become ....."difficult".
• Click here for Map & Directions to Gaspee Days Parade Line-Up Area (for parade participants only)