Less than an hour away from the 40th WILI Boombox Parade.
Hope you got your spot secured on Main Street in Downtown Willi at 11 a.m. sharp More 4th of July patriotic tunes right up until 10:45 here on the WILI Boombox Parade warm up show.
People in this town, and for that matter in this state recognize that we do something nobody else does.
There's no other parades on the planet like this one.
I've watched it every year since I was probably, I don't know, teens?
Everybody comes from everywhere.
They love it.
People happy, you know?
Nobody fighting, everybody doing good you know.
In 1986, the town was having Memorial Day parades, but Windham High disbanded its marching band.
So this woman, Kathy Clark, came to us and she says, “We got an idea.” “What about if people bring radios to the parade route and you guys play the soundtrack?” Kathy Clark came to us in ‘86 wanted it for Memorial Day, and it was three days beforehand The concept was so unique we couldn't pull it off.
She came back, said, “You want more time?” “4th of July!” We did a lot of organization.
We didn't know what to expect.
It worked.
And it's working 40 years later and it's working really well.
(Interviewer) And what is the concept?
The concept is that the radio station plays the marching band music, which you can hear right now in the background.
And people, both spectators and marchers bring radios.
We're blasting ours out right here.
And its playing the best marching band music that youd hear in a normal parade.
The boombox, I have several of them I love this parade so much I used to run around handing them out to people all along the parade route to make sure there are no dead spots in the parade route.
You gotta have music.
Mine's pretty dusty.
And, all my D batteries are getting all corroded.
And so I think a lot of people are in the same, same situation.
It wouldn't be the same if it was the earbud parade, you know, just wouldn't work.
(chanting) No kings!
No kings!
A lot of people representing their dissension against politics of the day.
(blaring horn) -When we fight, we win!
- And that is what Independence Day is all about.
It's it's - - Freedom of speech.
- Freedom of speech.
- And I take pictures.
- The melting pot which I feel like we are here in this town.
You know, it's great.
For us, have the music, in our Jeep Just, bring us happiness, joy.
Like, we just bring our culture in the same way that we just bring the music that we love to others.
(chanting) No kings!
What do we want?
No kings!
When do we want it?
Now!
I guess today means community.
But really, it it doesn't really matc how things are going right now.
So it's a nice, positive way to get through the day, you know?
- I feel that the parade has taught Willimantic and the surrounding area that you can protest something and still have fun and still be light of heart.
I'm proud of her for teaching people that you can do this.
She stepped up and didnt mind looking ridiculous And now all of us step up and do the same.
This is about community.
I mean, this is one of those things where there's precious unity in the country.
Youll see a lot of people here with differing views differing religions, no religion people just being goofy, people being serious.
We're all here together.
And, you know, at a time when that seems pretty rare.
I think that's extremely important.
I havent seen any vitriol.
I havent seen any anger.
Ive seen upside down flags.
I've seen right-side up flags.
They're both valid.
I'm proud to be an American.
It's really a people's parade.
It's for the people.
That's what makes it special.
A people's parade.
The best one in the whole USA.
Best one in the whole world.
If you believe in freedom of speech and freedom of expression this is one place where you can practice that without fear.