It’s Amherst’s July Fourth Parade!! Friday, July 4, 2025, Wilkins School, Amherst N.H.

At 10:00, the parade starts with the Police Chief, Fire Engines, Parade Marshall, Past Citizens of the Year, and State and Local Dignitaries, followed by parade bands, marchers, and events. Antique cars will be placed at intervals by the parade director, standing at the corner of the entrance driveway and Boston Post Road. Dignitaries and sign carriers are asked to move into place when the fire engines move out. Dignitaries will move into the entranceway, and sign carriers will move before the appropriate group. All other groups should face the entrance and be prepared to follow the group in front. All participants are asked to keep twenty feet between their group and the one ahead of them for best exposure. Too much or too little space between groups is detrimental to a good parade!!

9:15-9:30 a.m.: Parade participants gather at Wilkins School, 80 Boston Post Rd.

9:45 a.m.: Access to Wilkins stops

9:30 a.m.: Float judging –Jim Janson, Chair

**10:00 am. Sharp: Parade Start**

Parking: The parade will form in the front parking area and driveways of the school. Parking is behind the school. All cars except those in the parade must park in back of the school.

Placement: Floats and participating vehicles: Cars and floats IN the parade should enter the driveway to the left, facing the school, so as to be able to access the entrance driveway easily when the parade moves out. There will be signs indicating designated spaces for participants and committee volunteers to help. Antique cars line up on New Boston Road and move up, 4 or 5 at a time, to the side of Boston Post Road as the fire engines move out. George Coddington, Chair of the Antique Cars, is available to direct the cars. Fire engines and other rescue vehicles line up on Boston Post Road opposite the school. Past Citizens of the Year parade cars park on the edge of the front lawn of Wilkins. Victoria Parisi is the Chairman of the Past Citizens of the Year and can help with questions. State and Local Dignitaries gather in the front corner of the entrance driveway near the school sign unless they have chosen to march with their supporters in the political section of the parade at the back.

Sign Carriers will gather on the right side of the entrance driveway after parking behind the school.

Parade Route: The parade will exit the Wilkins School entrance driveway, turn left on New Boston Road, right on Foundry Street, left on Davis Lane, and left on Main Street. The parade route ends at the Amherst Town Hall. It is approximately one mile long.

Exiting the parade route: Vehicles leaving the parade should turn right after the town hall. Wilkins School can be accessed by turning left onto Mack Hill Rd., the first left onto Jones Rd., and then a left at the end of Jones Rd. Route 101 can be accessed by bearing right at the bottom of the small hill after the town hall turn, taking the second right onto Narragansett, and then turning left at the end of Narragansett.

Water: Participants should bring water!!! Stay hydrated!

Bathrooms: Bathrooms are available in Wilkins School.

Rain: The parade will only be cancelled in case of thunder and lightning. Cancellations will be announced on WMUR.

Insurance rules: no throwing of candy or items.

Request: please limit dal shaking hands or handing out literature except in political section.