Thank you to Claude Vautour for taking pictures of the parade.
Gardner MA Holds Centennial Parade – September 17, 2023
The Gardner Centennial Parade with 72 participants kicked off at 1pm on Sunday, September 17, 2023. The event was broadcast live on radio station WGAW which is heard on AM 1340, 98.1 FM, and live on the internet. Master of Ceremonies was Ed Atter. MCs were Patti Bergstrom and Mike Richard who provided the voices for the broadcast. Highlights included the various floats, antique cars, and the marching bands including the UMASS Minutemen who concluded with a performance at Gardner High School at 3pm.
A recording of the WGAW Live Broadcast may be heard through the radio station home page, CLICK HERE. —– YouTube Video of Parade. —– YouTube Video of performance at GHS of GHS and UMASS Marching Bands.
Gardner was settled in 1764, was incorporated as a town in 1785. Gardner became a City on January 1, 1923 and was 100 years a City on January 1, 2023. A Centennial Committee was established and various events have been held throughout the year to celebrate Gardner’s 100 Years as a City. A winter ball is planned for December.
The parade started out with a number of Public Safety Departments and lots of sirens representing about 10 communities in the region. Patti Bergstrom estimated more than 1000 people were marching in the parade. She read a congratulatory letter from the White House and noted that a celebration flag given by the State is now at City Hall. Mike Richard gave a shout out to the Gardner High School class of 1973 which is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Parade itself was about an hour and 15 minutes long.
