News
Red Bank Begins Centennial Celebration With May 17 Parade
By John Burton
RED BANK - It's been a long time coming. One hundred years, to be precise.
This year marks Red Bank's centennial as an incorporated, independent borough and plans have been in the works on a series of events to mark the milestone.
The weekend of May 17, the borough plans to hold its inaugural events for what will be a series of events occurring until March 2009.
In two weeks on Saturday there will be a borough-wide parade.
The parade is expected to begin at 11 a.m. at Globe Court and East Front Street. From there, the procession will continue to Broad Street, west onto Monmouth Street, then west on Bridge Avenue, to Drs. James Parker Boulevard and onto Pearl Street and Count Basie Field.
The intent of the parade was to make its way through the borough's entirety, to both its east and west sides, borough officials had said previously.
The borough fire department is putting the finishing touches on the parade line-up and preparations, according to River Road resident Ed Zipprich, who has been serving on the centennial committee.
Spectators along the parade route will see the borough's fire department, with representatives and equipment of its seven firehouses on display; members of the Boys and Girls Scouts;
students from the local schools; former mayors being driven in antique convertibles; church groups; members of the Navesink Garden Club; and the Pipes and Drums of the Atlantic Watch, a traditional Celtic music marching band.
As the parade makes its way through much of the 1.7 square miles, its participants and spectators will see much of the town done up in red, white and blue.
Zipprich, along with George Bowden and Joel Iverson, who are members of Preservation Red Bank, a local grassroots historic preservation group, have been going through the town asking businesses to contribute and decorate their stores, along with some residents, with the patriotic-colored bunting, flags and banners.
About 60 businesses, including retail stores, banks, bars and restaurants, have agreed to participate so far, spending more than $4,000, Bowden said this week.
When the parade arrives at Count Basie Field, it will signal the start of a free community picnic, with music, and food donated by Super Foodtown, 362 Broad Street, and the Azzolina family, the store's owners.
The parade will be in keeping with the borough's tradition of what used to be called "Jubilees," or "carnivals," explained Bowden, who chairs the borough's Historic Preservation Commission.
"The town is rooted in parades," he said.
On Sunday there will be a parade of boats, highlighting the Navesink River's role in the community's history. That event will feature sail and motor crafts, along with rowing sculls and a number of ultralight watercrafts, small sport crafts.
Vessels will make their way from Marine Park, past Riverside Gardens Park and on to the Molly Pitcher Inn, which overlooks the river, 88 Riverside Avenue.
There will be a chance for the public to view some boats on land, too. Including an original, restored 1880 "Rocket" iceboat, just like the one that appears on the borough's official emblem, Bowden said.
The iceboat will be on display in Marine Park.
Later in the year, plans call for a statue dedication at the NJ Transit station, Monmouth Street and Bridge Avenue, featuring a statue of the boroughs favorite son, jazz legend Count Basie; a relocation and dedication of the firefighters' memorial; a commemorative dedication of the 1939 visit of the British Royal Family, among other events already planned and being planned.
Red Bank has long been the "heart" of Monmouth County and has more recently been tagged with the moniker of "Hip Town," noting the community's emphasis on arts, culture and commerce, said Mayor Pasquale Menna in a press release.
"Their vision and drive," he said, referring to residents, business owners, municipal employees and officials have worked since 1908 to make the community what it has become.
"It is a blueprint model for our future progress," Menna said.
