REVERE — Spirits remained high during a rain-soaked Columbus Day parade on Monday.
“The spirits were great,” said Joe Gravellese, aide to Mayor Brian Arrigo. “It stayed dry for the whole beginning of the parade…Spirits were high along the route (and it was) a pretty good turnout. People were having fun.”
Gravellese said he doesn’t think the rain affected the event at all, but there were definitely a couple of stressful nights leading up to the parade for the administration as far as keeping an eye on the radar. He said rain threatened to cancel the parade, but with the number of bands and entertainment booked, having a rain date was not feasible. Getting them all for a second day on the same day was not realistic, he said.
“We made it clear to all the entertainers that we were going to make the call by Monday morning,” Gravellese said. “Unless it was really bad, we were going to move forward with it. We wanted to make sure we give people a show and have the event go off. It worked out well.”
The parade rotates every year between Revere and East Boston. It was rained out last year in East Boston. The parade returned to Revere in 2013 after the event, which is a long-standing tradition in the city and celebrates the region’s Italian-American cultural heritage, was dormant for about six years.
“I love a parade and I think this is one of the best things Revere does,” said Sandra Foti, a Revere resident. “I’m glad to see it’s returned.”
Cutting the ribbon to open the parade near the Revere/Chelsea line on Broadway were Arrigo, the grand marshal of this year’s parade, and Gov. Charlie Baker. Other elected officials marching included Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D-Winthrop), state Sen. Joseph Boncore (D-Winthrop) and state Rep. RoseLee Vincent (D-Revere), Gravellese said.
The parade started heading down Broadway and ended at St. Anthony’s Church on Revere Street. Participants included city councilors, the Revere Police and Fire Departments, the Boston Fire Department, State Police, military vehicles, Revere High School Junior ROTC, boy and girl scouts from Revere and the high school marching band.
Mary Jane Norris, 55, a Revere native who lives in Winthrop, said she’s been coming to see the parade since she was a young girl. She said she used to march in a band, and loved to see the bands in the parade.
Kaleigh Brown, 31, of Revere, was at the parade with her son and daughter, and her daughter’s friend. She said they came out to support the city and the mayor.
Vanessa Biasella, 41, a Revere resident, was watching with her family, including her four children, and a friend.
“You gotta bring the kids because this is Revere,” Biasella said. “This is family. This is life.”
