300 years ago, in 1724, Walpole became its own town. To celebrate this milestone, Walpole has been commemorating its 300th anniversary throughout the whole year. On Saturday, Oct. 5 the Walpole 300th Anniversary Committee put together and hosted the 300th anniversary parade. Over 8,000 people gathered around main street to celebrate Walpole’s tercentennial anniversary.
The parade started at the Norfolk Agricultural School, then it continued down Main Street and ended at Walpole High School. The route spanned two and a half miles and took about three hours, starting at 11 a.m. and closing at 2 p.m. While there was light rain on the morning of the parade, the weather cleared up and the sun came out in time for the parade to start.
The parade was led by Walpole police officers and was followed by over 100 floats, different types of cars and marching bands. Law enforcement officers from Norfolk County Sheriff’s Department, Massachusetts State Police and Walpole Police Department all took part in the parade. Even the Massachusetts National Guard and Honor Guard were in the procession. There were multiple animals in the parade, including horses from multiple different organizations, such as the State Police and the Aggie and even service dogs from Golden Opportunities for Independence were also in the parade.
Some floats served as advertisements for local businesses, such as Delany and Sons Funeral Home, Walpole Community Food Pantry, Brennan Tree and Landscaping and the Walpole Pharmacy. Other floats were sponsored by local churches, including the Epiphany church and the South Walpole Methodist church and schools, like Blessed Sacrament School and the Norfolk Aggie. There were several different marching bands, like the Waltham American Legion band, the McGann marching band and the North Star Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps. Some were from surrounding town’s high schools. The parade featured various vintage and modern cars driven by volunteers. Towards the end of the parade, there was a State Police helicopter flyover. The procession was closed by Walpole Firefighters in fire trucks. After the parade concluded, food vendors were set up in the center of town for the attendees of the parade.
Upcoming 300th anniversary events include a fall festival on Oct. 26 in the town green, a gala at Lake Pearl in Wrentham on Nov. 2 and also a Light Up the Town Luminary event on Dec. 10. For additional information about these events, visit Walpole300.com.
