PITTSFIELD, Mass.—The many hands that make Pittsfield's Fourth of July parade happen are hard at work for the 2025 event. 

This year's event is themed "Young at Heart," and it will have more than 100 units, including over a dozen floats, several musical and dance performances, and other elements that celebrate the community's youth.  

A long-beloved tradition, it kicks off on July 4 at 10 a.m. on the dot and proceeds through the downtown.  There are even rumors that baseball and fireworks will return to Wahconah Park that night. 

"It is a lot of work, but we have a great team," Parade Committee President Rebecca Brien said during Pittsfield Community Television's "Parade in Preview" program on Wednesday night. 

PCTV's Executive Director Shawn Serre said, "Really, nothing tops the Pittsfield Fourth of July parade."

Pittsfield native Madison Quinn was named the Grand Marshal for her leadership of the non-profit organization Strong Little Souls, which she founded at the age of 13.  SLS provides care packages, meals, toys, and reading materials to young patients while advocating for pediatric cancer research.

Once a parade marcher in the Pittsfield High School band, she will now be the VIP. 

"The whole idea of someone who was a youth who had this inspiration, who has now grown and developed and educated themselves to be able to help more young people, just seemed a perfect match for the Young At Heart theme that we have this year," Brien explained. 

Quinn, who now lives in Westfield and works as a pediatric nurse, has led the nonprofit since she was just 15. 

"I've always had this want to volunteer and give back. Growing up, I was always volunteering at local soup kitchens or the Berkshire Humane Society and then one day, I was doing what every 13 year old does, and was spending a lot of time on social media, and I came across a young girl who was actually born with a form of cancer and that really just shook me and blew my mind, because I guess at that point, I'd never really been aware of the world of childhood cancer, what these children have to go through," she explained. 

"And after finding one family, I found another, and I instantly knew I wanted to do something to help. I was only 13, I didn't know what exactly I could do, but I knew there had to be something that I could do at that age and that time." 

She reached out to one family to ask if she could send a care package to their son battling leukemia.  Quinn then mowed lawns, collected cans and bottles, and gathered spare change to compile a package with a Batman action figure, some Play-Doh, and other toys. 

"He actually took the wings off Batman and carried them to every chemo, to every lab draw, to every doctor's visit," she explained. 

"Every week, [his] mom would send me a picture of him just walking into chemo, holding on to these Batman wings, because something so simple as a toy just became this symbol of strength and this item of comfort for him, this child going through the unimaginable. And that really spoke volumes to me because something such as a toy could really mean so much more to a child." 

Last year, Strong Little Souls raised $100,000 at its first Give Back Gala, and they are holding another on June 28 at the Pittsfield County Club. 

This is Brien's first year taking the reins, as Mayor Peter Marchetti stepped down as parade leader last year after more than two decades. She explained that there are well over units already, and they expect as many as 125. The goal is for it to run for an hour and a half. 

"With our Young at Heart theme, all of the balloons this year will be cartoon characters, actually. So that will be wonderful," she reported. 

"We are always looking for volunteers to help navigate the balloons. There will be some that are helium. Of course, helium costs are going up, and so many of them are actually going to be what are considered cold air. They are filled with air with a fan, and so they need a couple of extra people to be able to maneuver them down the street." 

Other highlights include the return of the Greater Kensington String Band, known as the "Mummers," new entry Berkshire Brazil, and a float from a South County organization that will give out books to children. 

"I did hear a rumor that there will be baseball at Wahconah Park and fireworks. I heard that from the mayor himself," Brien reported. 

Serre replied, "You're making news here tonight, I think, by saying that." 

The third annual Mummer's Concert will be on July 3 at 6 p.m. at The Common, the annual road race hosted by Berkshire Health Systems and the Berkshire Running Foundation begins before the parade, and the third annual Fourth of July car show will be on McKay Street on July 6 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

More information about parade events and ways to donate can be found at pittsfieldparade.com. 

"People are surprised, I think, at how much it does cost to run a parade, between 10 musical groups, multiple balloons, it does," Brien said. 

"There's a lot of money involved." 

The Parade in Preview also gave a behind-the-scenes look at PCTV's production of the parade, which brings coverage nation and worldwide.  It included a segment with audio production person John Williams and co-hosts Bob Heck and Becky Manship. 

Heck and Manship have co-hosted the parade for the last few years. 

"It's a long-standing tradition here in Pittsfield, and it's really important to the community, so during COVID, as you know, it was a big loss, it was a big hit. So we fought on our feet and worked with the parade committee," she said. 

"I was on the parade committee for 13 years, so being on this side of it is really neat, and to work with all of you who I worked with for my tenure with the City of Pittsfield for almost 16 years. It's a pleasure, and just really fantastic that we can do this." 

Heck, PCTV's coordinator of advancement and community production, emphasized the importance of keeping the broadcast funded. 

"It's a great opportunity for underwriters and advertisers to be a part of a parade. We had over 20,000 views on Facebook last year, close to 5,000 on our PCTV Select app," he said, clarifying that they are engaged viewers. 

"They're tuned in the entire time, so it's a great opportunity to get your business out there, so reach out to me if you're interested." 


 

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