By STEVEN JUPITER
BRANDON—Brandon’s Independence Day festivities are a beloved local tradition. Last year’s incarnation was a huge success, with hundreds of people crowding downtown for the parade, enjoying the evening street dance, and cheering on the fireworks. It was a welcome bit of normalcy after several years of COVID and construction had turned Brandon upside down. WCAX even featured the Brandon parade on its newscast.
But it takes a lot of planning. The Brandon Independence Day Celebration Committee (BIDCC) begins to map out the following year’s events while the smoke from the current year’s fireworks is practically still visible in the air.
In addition to the parade, BIDCC organizes the family events behind the Brandon Inn, the Duck Race, the DJ at the free street dance in front of the Inn, the fireworks display, the food vendors, the music at the beer garden, the silent auction, even the porta potties. It’s an entire day of activities that keeps the town entertained from sunrise to sunset.
“Last year went very well,” said Susan Stone, BIDCC Treasurer. “We had a great turnout. Our fundraising went very smoothly, and we were able to cover our expenses. This year, though, our costs have jumped significantly and even with a $7,000 town appropriation and generous corporate donations, we’re going to have a tougher time raising the money.”
“The cost of the fireworks display has gone from $7,000 to $12,500 in one year,” said Bobbie Torstenson, another member of BIDCC’s executive committee. “We’ve tried using less expensive fireworks but they don’t have the height we need to make them visible downtown.” The fireworks display used to be held out at Estabrook Park but is now done from private property behind Hannaford and Walgreen’s in downtown Brandon.
“The move from Estabrook made it possible for people to have a continuous day downtown but it also cut into our revenue from parking,” said Stone. In previous years, parking for the fireworks brought in several thousand dollars.
BIDCC will reprise its most successful money-making activities, such as the silent auction and the Duck Race, and will implement new initiatives, such as a 50/50 raffle, but it will need to rely on donations even more this year than last, despite the generosity of local businesses.
“We have to pay for trash collection, porta potties, and even for some of the contingents in the parade,” said Stone, referring to several professional marching bands that perform in the parade every year.
Last year’s festivities cost roughly $16,000 altogether. This year, that total will be closer to $20,000.
“We’re also hoping to have more food vendors to accommodate the crowds,” said Torstenson, noting that vendors pay a fee. “One of the big complaints last year was the long lines for everything, since so many people showed up. Any food vendors who’d like to participate should contact Jean Lamarre at jlamarre183@gmail.com to reserve a spot. And anyone who’d like to volunteer to help with any of the activities should contact me at b_torstenson@comcast.net.”
“If anyone would like to make a direct donation, they can send a check to BIDCC at 2999 Wheeler Road, Brandon, VT 05733,” said Stone.
Brandon’s July 4th celebrations are a time for the entire community to come together to celebrate the birth of the nation we cherish. If anyone has time or funds to donate, please consider reaching out to BIDCC at the emails provided above.
