Patriot Participates in our 6th UBS Parade Spectacular

A behind the scenes look at the annual Stamford Event on November 2

Post-Parade. Special thanks to helper Adrian Redmond (Front row, 2^nd from left)

When asked about the strangest thing that ever happened during the UBS Parade Spectacular, Lynne Colatrella, VP of Events & Marketing for the Stamford Downtown Special Services District, (SDSSD) didn't hesitate. "It was the year a Shriner ran over a dancer. Fortunately," she added, "no one was hurt and the dancer performed better than ever." Rare glitches aside, the parade has become a most welcome attraction of the holiday season. And, thanks to three full-time staffers, five part-timers, almost onethousand volunteers, as well as a strict protocol and timetable, it generally runs without a hitch!

The parade is a tradition born sixteen years ago. Balloons were added to the mile-long route three years later to help distinguish the parade from all the others with just bands and floats. The parade has since become the second largest Helium Balloon parade in the country and a nationally-known event, drawing anywhere from 100,000 to 300,000 spectators. The largest balloon parade is of course, the Macys Day parade. Although the Stamford and Macys parade don't use the same balloon characters, both opt to pick recognizable characters that, according to Ms. Colatrella, "delight children."

Patriot is one of the many corporate sponsors that help support the parade. Sarah Allen, Patriot's Balloon Captain, recalls our first year of participation in 2004. "We sponsored a patriotic-themed float. We had Phil Wolford firing a cannon, a Fife and Drum Corps, Betsy Ross and a horse. Parade Day is always a great day. In addition to being a fun time, it's a great team building experience." Firsttime balloon handler, Jennie Penrod- Eisner of Loan Operations agrees. "How nice to spend the day with co-workers I've only spoken to on the phone. It was like meeting extended family. The whole experience surpassed my expectations - the positive energy, the size of the crowd - sign me up for next year."

Every year, the SDSSD adds new balloons and special guest talent to keep the parade fresh. For instance, this year, instead of the customary one Grand Marshall, there were two - husband-andwife Maury Povich and Connie Chung. There is one element, however, started by spectators that organizers would be hard-pressed to change. "Spinning" has become a true parade tradition, born when several groups came prepared with signs encouraging the balloon handlers to spin their balloons around in a circle," according to Lynne Colatrella. "Carrying the balloon down the parade route is more difficult than it looks," adds Sarah Allen, "it's actually hard work when the kids have us spin the balloon several times in a row. You can get a little dizzy but it's worth it because the kids seem to love it." And, next to a sunny sky on parade day," what Sandy Goldstein, President of the SDSSD likes best is "those little kids with their smiles from ear to ear."