As predicted, the rain began at 1 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 25), just as the parade stepped
off for the 45th annual celebration — the first in person since 2019 because of the pandemic shutdown. But the clouds didn’t dampen any of the spirit as friends old and new filled the streets to get reacquainted.

Photos by Ross Corsair and Michael Turton

Behind The Story

Articles attributed to "staff" are written by the editor or a senior editor. This is typically because they are brief items based on a single source, such as a press release, or there are multiple contributors, such as a collection of photos.

3 replies on “Spirit of Beacon (Photos)”

  1. Finally — after surviving COVID, lockdowns, separation from family and friends, hospitalizations and (sadly) deaths — The Spirit of Beacon Day returned to our fair city amid much hoopla and anticipation. We’re back!

    Wait a minute. Not so fast. As I ambled up and down Main Street with my two grandchildren, I realized that something was missing. I couldn’t put my finger on it until one of my charges said, “I’m hungry.” And there it was: Where’s the food? Where’s the aromas of the various ethnic groups wafting through the air, enticing everyone to savor a myriad of culinary delights?

    This special day was borne out of necessity fueled by civil strife and dark feelings during the mid-1970s. Fortunately, a number of concerned citizens realized that the city was on the brink of destroying itself and worked together to find concrete solutions to heal the wounds. One of those solutions was the creation of the Spirit of Beacon — a day set aside to bring the entire community together to enjoy not only a day of companionship but also a day to break bread and share in some new gustatory delights.

    Unfortunately, this past Spirit of Beacon Day was devoid of any street side culinary pleasures. Hungry? Unless you wanted to step into one of the many Main Street restaurants and sit at a table and order a meal, you were out of luck.

    Why were the groups who applied for permits well in advance of the event to cook and serve food curbside denied those permits? Where is the spirit that once created this special day? Why was the sense of community cooperation allowed to be overlooked?

  2. I laughed when I saw the photo of the Beacon High School band in the Spirit of Beacon parade. Some things don’t change in these fast-moving times. The instrument I played more than 50 years ago in my high school band — the tuba — was bringing up the back of the band — the same spot I was stuck with!

Comments are closed.