Parade of Heroes and Community Celebration

A street party, fireworks, and free whoopie pies will be part of a celebration of the end of Covid-19 regulations – highlighted by a parade of health care and other essential-worker heroes in downtown Rutland.
 
The Aug. 28 Parade of Heroes & Community Celebration, from 3:30 to 9:30 p.m., will celebrate all who helped the community get through the Covid-19 pandemic, and will also feature details on another celebration in the fall – the Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival – the region’s first annual whoopie pie festival. Both events aim to bring the community safely together for celebration, connection, and reflection after a long year, and to draw new visitors to experience Rutland’s historic downtown as it comes alive again.
 
The Parade of Heroes & Community Celebration along with Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival are presented by Heritage Family Credit Union (HFCU) in collaboration with Chamber & Economic Development of the Rutland Region (CEDRR) and the Paramount Theatre. Both events are also sponsored by Cape Air, Carpenter & Costin, Casella Waste Systems, Come Alive Outside, Community Health Centers of the Rutland Region, Downtown Rutland Partnership, Foley Family of Companies, Four Seasons Sotheby’s International Realty, GE Aviation, Green Mountain Power, Killington Resort, King Arthur Flour, Laz Parking, Mary Moran, Omya, People’s United Bank, Rotary Club of Rutland, Rutland City, Rutland Mental Health, Rutland Regional Medical Center (RRMC),  Ryan Smith & Carbine, Ltd., The Bank of Bennington, VELCO, Vermont Country Store, Westminster Cracker and Wonderfeet Kids Museum.
 
 
Essential workers can sign up to take part in the parade at rutlandvermont.com/paradeofheroes/. The Parade of Heroes will line up at 3:30 p.m. at Grace Congregational Church and will be led, along with first responders and musicians, down Center Street by Heritage Family’s Captain Credit Union at 4 p.m.  There will be remarks honoring community heroes, followed by a free concert by Enerjazz at 6 p.m., with fireworks at dusk.
 
Local restaurants will be open, and additional vendors will add to the celebration for other downtown festivities. Free HFCU string goodie bags will be available while supplies last. Center Street will be closed off for the event, and the first 500 community heroes arriving will receive a Vermont Country Store whoopie pie. The first 1,000 people will receive a bag of flour from King Arthur.
 
The Rutland Whoopie Pie Festival on Oct. 9, will be a daylong festival with events from 10 a.m. till past midnight! Details will be announced at the Aug. 28 celebration.