Wakefield July 4th Parade Needs Your Help

WAKEFIELD, Ma. - In case it got lost in the longest Town Council meeting anyone could remember, here's their message in four letters. Help.

Led by Parade Chairman Brian Fox, organizers of the 74th annual Wakefield July 4th parade were in attendance Monday at the WCAT Studio to ask for help. The town's 74th annual holiday parade is short on volunteers, short on money. Wearing their bright orange shirts and carrying fundraising buckets, Fox said the group has 29 volunteers and needs to double that number. Fundraising is down as well but a strong parade day with those buckets filled can make up for that ... if they have volunteers to carry them. You can learn more about volunteering at the organization's website.

The 2019 Wakefield 4th of July Parade theme is Hollywood. The Grand Marshals are Jimmy and Maria Assimakapolous from Brother’s Restaurant. The parade is one of many events in Wakefield on the holiday.

The Town Council also approved of the schedule for the 10th annual Festival Italia. The event turns downtown into a big party and will be held Sat., Aug. 24 from 2-7 p.m ... water and sewer rates were also set Monday with the Town Council voting to approve a water rate for 2020 of $7.30 and a sewer rate of $11:20 per 100 cubic feet. The numbers reflect an overall increase of 6.56 percent ... the council approved its Kiosk Policy for the town's four new kiosks ... the council accepted a gift of $152,000 from the Friends of Lake Quannapowitt for improvements to Colonel Connelly Park/Gertrude Spaulding Park. That work should start soon ... From July 22 to August 5 light poles in town will have banners promoting the Wakefield Repertory Theatre showing of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.