The Oyster Bay Fire Department led an Independence Day parade through downtown on Friday, July 4.
The parade kicked off at 9:30 a.m. at the Townsend Square parking lot and travelled down East Main Street to the town hall on Audrey Avenue. A ceremony at the Audrey Avenue bandstand followed the parade.
“It’s a true honor to join you here in historic Oyster Bay—the proud hometown of President Theodore Roosevelt, who reminded us that ‘patriotism means to stand by the country.’ Today, we do just that,” said Town Clerk Richard LaMarca at the ceremony.
LaMarca said the grand marshal of the Independence Day parade was Robert “Bob” Selby, who was also one of the grand marshals at this year’s Memorial Day Parade. He said Selby is a “dedicated veteran” who represents the “best of Oyster Bay.”
LaMarca was joined by Council Member Andrew Monteleone at the ceremony.
“Days like today remind us how lucky we are to live in a town that cherishes its history, its families and its neighbors,” LaMarca said.
Mitch Furman, the Syosset VFW Post commander, said Syosset, joined by neighboring communities, took part in the parade. The Syosset and Oyster Bay VFWs merged in 2018 and serve members in both areas, Furman said.
After the festivities concluded, the Raynham Hall Museum welcomed visitors at an open house, where parade-goers had the opportunity to speak with AI George Washington and play historic games, according to the museum’s website.
