Flag Day Parade

The Flag Day Parade is an annual parade in Dedham, Massachusetts that celebrates Flag Day. The parade began in 1967 and quickly became one of Dedham's most beloved traditions.^[1]

The crew of the USS Constitution marches in the Flag Day Parade.

The parade has occasionally rejected controversial floats. In 1975, the Parks and Recreation Commission unanimously refused to allow an anti-busing float during the nearby Boston desegregation busing crisis.^[2] In 1971, after Arthur "Mr. Wake Up America" Stivaletta claimed to be a co-sponsor of the parade, Recreation Director James E. Dunderdale publicly clarified that the Parks and Recreation Department was the only sponsor.^[3]

After Proposition 2½ led to the elimination of the Recreation Director position in 1980, Anthony "JuJu" Muccaccio took over the position for a year pro bono.^[4] He was then hired full time and began running the parade, an activity he continued even after his retirement in 2010.^[4]

In 2017, for the 50th anniversary, the parade was moved from the traditional June 14th to Saturday, June 17, to accommodate the fireworks at Memorial Park that were part of the celebration.^[5][6] The parade was nearly cancelled following the financial crisis of 2007–2008, but a fundraising campaign saved it.^[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic, the parade was canceled in 2020 and 2021. In its place, an unofficial "rolling rally" of cars was held in its place along the same route.^[8]

Route

The parade takes the following route:^[9]

• Starts on East Street at Dedham Middle School,
• Proceeds down East street and left onto High Street,
• Follows High Street into Dedham Square past the Community Theater,
• Turns right onto Washington Street,
• Turns right onto Harris Street,
• Proceeds down High Street to East Dedham,
• Turns right on Milton Street,
• Turns right onto Walnut Street,
• Turns left onto Oakdale Avenue,
• Turns right onto Sanderson Avenue,
• Turns right onto Mt. Vernon Street,
• Turns left onto Whiting Avenue
• Parade ends at Memorial Park.

Grand marshals

Year	Name	Notes
2009	Marie-Louise Kehoe	[7]
2013	Kevin Hughes	[10]
2015	Bob Aldous	[1]
2023	Nancy Clement
2024	Dennis Teehan, Sr.	[11]

References

1. Heald, Hana Janjigian (June 12, 2015). "Dedham's 48th Annual Flag Day Parade Set for Sunday". The Dedham Times. p. 1.
2. "Dedham says no antibusing float". The Boston Globe. June 11, 1975. p. 48. Retrieved October 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Blake, Andrew (June 15, 1971). "Flag Day Parade organizer furls a would-be sponsor's banner". The Boston Globe. p. 19. Retrieved October 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
4. Seltz, Joanna (October 28, 2010). "Dedham Rec retiree staying busy". The Boston Globe. p. P4. Retrieved October 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
5. Martin, E.F. (November 18, 2016). "Fireworks to Celebrate the Flag in June". The Dedham Times.
6. Bowen, Max (June 20, 2017). "Dedham Flag Day parade". The Dedham Transcript. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
7. Bolton, Michelle Morgan (June 7, 2009). "Rallying Around Flag Day". The Boston Globe. p. SO2. Retrieved October 23, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
8. "NEW! Dedham "Flag Day Rolling Rally!" June 27, 2021". DedhamTV. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
9. "Dedham to celebrate Flag Day with parade". The Dedham Transcript. June 10, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
10. "Kevin Hughes". Legacy.com. November 13, 2020. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
11. "A lifetime of dedication and service; reflections from Dedham's Dennis Teehan Sr". The Dedham Times. Vol. 32, no. 24. June 14, 2024. p. 1.