A Day of Fun and Festivities

Dateline: Sept. 4, 2019

Once again, the Pembroke-Allenstown Old Home Day was a successful event thanks to the dedicated work of the hundreds of volunteers working for the OHD Committee.

Early on Saturday morning, dozens of marchers, marching bands, cars, trucks, and tractors lined the side streets off School St. in Allenstown. The police cars with their lights flashing sat ready to block School St. at Route 3. Suddenly around 10 a.m., two police cars driven by the Police Chiefs of both towns started moving along School St. toward Town Hall. The parade had begun.

Shortly after the start of the parade, Selectman Sandy McKenney stopped to say hello to Nicole Belanger and her friend.

Note: The first several photos were taken by Selectman Sandy Mc Kenney.

As the parade passed the Allenstown Town Hall, the R&B Dignity Band serenaded parade watchers from the town gazebo.

At one point, Selectman McKenney stopped to show off her recycling cart, which might have been the smallest float in the parade.

Before marching through the huge crowds in Suncook Village, Selectman McKenney met three members of the Pembroke Select Board who were also marching in the parade.

By the time the parade reached Suncook Village, they were greeted by hundreds of cheering residents. One favorite parade group was the Londonderry High School's Marching Band, The Lancers.

For a special 11-minute video of the band as it marched along the parade route, go to this link published by LancerMusic on YouTube.

One of the sponsors of Old Home Day was Associated Grocers, which has a large facility on Route 3 in Pembroke. Here, one of their trucks was towing a flatbed with employees and families.

One of the classic old vehicles was Allenstown's 1925 REO Speedwagon, which was the original town school bus, driven by John Thomas Hayes back in the day.

Photo by Michele Mitchell

Among the many amazing vehicles in the parade was this monster truck, which looked like a converted 1955 Chevy panel truck.

Photo by Michele Mitchell

Once the parade arrived at Memorial Field in Pembroke, the festivities were in full swing with the main baseball field full of craft vendors. Food trucks and food vendors lined the main roadway, and there were music performances on the main bandstand and the makeshift small stage every hour.

The following 19-second video gives a feel for the crowds that enjoyed the festivities. Hope you don't get dizzy!

360 degree view of OHD visitors
Video by Michael Frascinella
 

Near the main entrance, two trucks were parked with their booms at full extent: the Carlucci Contracting truck (L) and the Pembroke ladder truck (R). The Carlucci truck flew Old Glory. "And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave ... o'er the land of the free ... and the home ... of the ... brave!"

Photo by Michael Frascinella

By the end of the day, attention turned to the fireworks which were set up at the far end of the park near the Merrimack River. It was an exciting ending to a great, fun-filled, and enjoyable day.

Photos by Melinda Sergi

What You Can Do

Thank the 400+ members of the Old Home Day Committee who worked hard before, during, and after the event. It was a great success for the two towns and a great outing for the folks who spent time there.