Bristol Parade Brings Out Local Families for Fourth of July Fun

The 226th annual Bristol Fourth of July parade was a big hit this year, as usual, with plenty of Middletown families lining the route to take in the sights and sounds.

The parade kicked off around 10:30 a.m., making its way down Hope Street downtown and around the corner to come up High Street. One of the earlier floats, marked as "Most Beautiful" in the parade, was designed by of Tiverton. The float carried a smiling , Cassandra Guercia, and 9-year-old Peyton Perroni, Little Miss Fourth of July.

For Middletowners, local highlights included the appearances of the Ancient Order of Hibernians Pipes and Drums Band and the American Legion Post 18-Portsmouth, where memberships in both span Aquidneck Island, as well as the U.S. Navy Marching Band, a favorite among military families.

Some parade goers as early at 2:30 a.m., despite a rule that states attendees can't set up blankets or chairs earlier than 5 a.m. The route was packed with families and partiers by the start of the show, but traffic was surprisingly light leading up to it. Traveling into Bristol from the north or south was unusually easy Monday morning, although getting out was a bit of a bumper-to-bumper nightmare.

After all five divisions made their way all around the parade route, the show wrapped up shortly around 2:15 p.m. The finale included a wave from the patriotic Mr. Potato Head and a sign reading, "See You Next Year."

The parade's final, fifth division completed the 226th Bristol Fourth of July Parade, known officially as the Civic, Military and Firemen's Parade. The final division featured an array of patriotic visitors from a flag-covered float carrying Santa Claus to an Uncle Sam on stilts.

Below is a list of links to Patch's coverage from throughout the parade. If you were there and would like to share your memories, add photos to the gallery above and thoughts in the comments section below.