<p>The Edgartown Fourth of July parade — one of the Island’s premier summer events — has been canceled, the last in a long line of signature festivities to be cut from the summer calendar.
The Edgartown Fourth of July parade — one of the Island’s premier summer events — has been canceled, the last in a long line of signature festivities to be cut from the summer calendar amid concerns about the ongoing pandemic.
After brief discussion from stakeholders, including grand marshal Joe Sollitto, who recommended canceling the event, Edgartown selectmen officially voted to cancel the parade at their meeting Monday.
The vote was unanimous.
“I vote yes, very reluctantly,” selectman Arthur Smadbeck said. “This would have been the 30th parade I participated in. I’m very, very sad on many levels and for many reasons.”
Selectmen also voted to cancel the accompanying Fourth fireworks off Lighthouse Beach in the evening. Mr. Smadbeck said despite the governor hoping to ease stay-at-home restrictions after May 18, there were no changes planned in social distance guidelines, making a crowded parade impossible.
The parade brings hordes of visitors to Edgartown’s downtown for the national holiday every July, with the seemingly never-ending cavalcade of floats representing one of the high water marks of the Island’s summer. The parade has 1,000 participants, and Mr. Sollitto estimated Monday that it brings between 20,000 and 25,000 visitors.
The cancellation joins other iconic summer rituals, races, festivals and events that won’t occur this year. They include the Chilmark Road Race, the Oak Bluffs fireworks, the Agricultural Fair, Taste of the Vineyard, Illumination Night and the second annual Beach Road Weekend music festival.
All the events have been canceled within the past two months, as the pandemic has left a cloud of uncertainty looming over the summer of 2020 on the Island.
Camp Jabberwocky, the perennial winner of best float, had already canceled their summer programming due to concerns about the virus.
In lieu of spending money on candy and floats, Mr. Sollitto suggested that participants donate those funds to the Island Food Pantry, or other local charitable organizations. Selectmen and town officials agreed.
“If we can’t do the fireworks responsibly on July Fourth in Edgartown, we can do something else responsible for all the people who are hurting,” town administrator James Hagerty said. “I think that is a really good idea.”

Comments
Terrible news, let’s just
Mark EdgartownTerrible news, let’s just bring on the murder hornets and hurricanes and get this over with....
RIDICULOUS
RSK EdgartownRIDICULOUS
We know exactly who this flu
BS Oak BluffsWe know exactly who this flu targets. They by no means should attend any public event and should take every measure to self quarantine. The rest of us need to carry on and celebrate life. Celebrate this great country and celebrate moving on, perhaps somewhat dangerous, but nowhere near as dangerous as what was faced to create the greatest country on Earth. We are not the subjects of our Governor, he is merely our elected servant
Who does this “flu” target?
Lucy Bradley EdgartownWho does this “flu” target? Old people? Yes, Young people? Yes? Strong middle-aged men? Yes. It targets everyone. I know people who died and they were old and young who were not immune-compromised. It’s sad that it has come to this, and our loved events are cancelled. Too bad they can’t have a “wait and see” approach.
We do know who this VIRUS
Nicole Oak BluffsWe do know who this VIRUS targets- EVERYONE. This is not the flu. The Governor is serving everyone well by ensuring the public's safety. So by all means, carry on and celebrate and thank the Governor that you are able to do that.
Your screen name really makes sense given your posts are exactly that!
BS, this “flu” targets
Sharon MarbleheadBS, this “flu” targets everyone and is devastatingly deadly. Ask the parents of a young person in their thirties whose lungs filled with blood clots overnight, the babies with irreparable heart and lung issues, and all the other previously healthy people who will suffer permanent lung and brain damage. One summer of cancelled activities will not kill us, but this disease has already proven it can.
In Rippon response to the
Kathleen Bruce ChilmarkIn Rippon response to the person who thinks that anybody who is vulnerable should stay home. My comment as a nurse is that everybody is vulnerable. There are people in their 20s and teens who are on ventilators with this virus. Please read some scientific literature. This is national nurses week and being a nurse, I honor the over 100 nurses who have died taking care of people during this pandemic. Be sensible people.
Hear, hear, Kathleen. I have
Lorraine EdgartownHear, hear, Kathleen. I have nurses and doctors in my family and we are all on edge. We can never thank our medical personnel and first responders enough. They do yeoman's duty and I am grateful. My brother just died May 1, no one could visit, no services allowed, no travel, we are all invested in this hideous situation in many different ways. I am so grateful my brother had nurses, doctors, Hospice people in his end days. A rousing heartfelt Thank you to all of you.
This crisis is an opportunity
Sherrin Nunes Miami, FloridaThis crisis is an opportunity to reimagine a new way of life. Possibly better? I was in Edgartown on the 4th of July when the fog poured in over the tops of the buildings and the firework were canceled until the next night. Lousy weather is always a factor. As far as Illumination night, to be honest, I found it a bit hellish. That event could use a less is more remake.
Right you are, Mark. The
Lorraine EdgartownRight you are, Mark. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.....let's see: corona virus, murder hornets, hurricanes,????????? what is next? I shudder to think.
I am a nurse in Boston...I
Lauren RN Boston/EdgartownI am a nurse in Boston...I encourage everyone to look at the real numbers... not what the talking heads are telling you...
This is the bottom line... If your older 80+ or have underling health issues stay home and use precautions like you would anyways...
Also ask yourself do you know anyone who has Covid? Did they die from it? Recover? If they did what was there medical history/condition...
We need more common sense approach here, not fear mongering.
Thank you Lauren
MarkThank you Lauren
Thank you !
Pat Loveday EdgartownThank you !
Of course I am tremendously
Maureen Regan RN EdgartownOf course I am tremendously saddened to learn of the cancellation of the parade. It is one of the highlights of my year! However, Cancelling it is totally responsible. Most Covid cases are transmitted in someone’s home. In other words someone brings it into a home, church etc and gives it to someone else. Therefore a person does not need to be at the parade to get sick indirectly from the parade. Let us learn something from the New Orleans Mardi Gras which killed so many people.
Getting a bit tired of the
Carol EdgartownGetting a bit tired of the Covid shaming. If someone says "covid, sad, tragic" the rest of us have to hang our heads and stop discussing a return to normal. While this is a weird and twisted illness, we should not destroy what is left of the nation. Sure, wash your hands, wear a mask, stay home if you feel sick but the fact is that there are 350 million people who want to, need to, keep going. Stop the shaming and be grateful that your fellow citizens want their liberty back.
Such impatience and
Islander Martha’s VineyardSuch impatience and restlessness! This is not the seasonal flu. I would hate to see how many of these commentators hold up under worst circumstances, like war time. I suppose I’m glad they are not protecting our country in that case. They would want the war to be over with as soon as the enemy disappeared behind a tree.
I can't help but wonder how
Jonathan EdgartownI can't help but wonder how many of the people who favor staying closed are able to do so because they don't face the same financial risks that many of us working folk do. Many people are relatively unaffected financially by the shutdowns because they are government workers who still are collecting paychecks, or the recipient of other government transfer payments (e.g., Social Security, Welfare, etc). I wonder if government officials and "experts" who favor staying closed would hold the same views if they also had no paychecks coming in. I doubt it - they would discover, like many of us have, that the trade offs involved are more complex and nuanced. The reality is that we are "not all in this together," despite what the rhetoric says.
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