The Bristol Mum Festival Committee has issued the following press release to announce this week’s activities.
The Mum Festival, which has been Bristol’s fall marquee community-focused event for almost 60 years, is back September 24th – 26th with a move to Downtown Bristol and a theme of “Honoring Heroes.”
The Bristol Exchange Club and the Mum Festival Committee are also proud to announce the return of the Mum Festival Parade on Sunday, September 26 th, at 1:30 p.m.. With the move to Downtown, the parade will also have a new and shorter route this year. This will be the 59th year of the parade and will feature area businesses, organizations, marching bands, and an assortment of creative floats.
“Due to the construction projects on Memorial Boulevard and to accommodate the Mum Festival’s move to downtown Bristol, we have revamped the parade route for this year,” said Dianna Tack, Mum Festival Parade Chair. “The new route has also been shortened by approximately one mile and will avoid Memorial Boulevard and officially end on North Main Street just before Center Street. Our Grand Reviewing Stand location will be on Main Street adjacent to the Barnes Group and Bikers Edge, and spectators should avoid North Main Street past the Post Office, as that is the official end of the performing portion of the parade.”
“For 2021, the parade will start on Race Street, turn left on West Street, left on South Street, left on Main Street, Left on Riverside Ave. Ext., right on Hope Street and then right on North Main Street,” continued Tack. “We are very excited to be able to bring the parade back this year, and we wanted to make sure the public is informed of all the
changes so they can plan accordingly. So please help us spread the word”.
In keeping with the theme of “Honoring Heroes,” which was chosen to pay tribute to all the health care and essential workers who have continued to work so hard during the pandemic, the Festival planning committee is also happy to announce that Bristol Health’s own Dr. Andrew Lim will serve as this year’s Mum Festival Grand Marshall and lead the parade.
Dr. Lim is board-certified in emergency medicine and received his Medical Degree from the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and completed his Emergency Medicine Residency at the University of Florida-Shands Jacksonville. He has been a member of the Bristol ED team since May 2013 and, in April 2019, accepted the
position of Medical Director of Emergency Services at Bristol Hospital. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Lim led the Medical Standards Committee, which developed policies and protocols on how to treat Covid- positive patients.
“We are so very excited to have Dr. Lim represent all of the health care and essential workers that we want to honor at this year’s Festival serve as our Grand Marshall of our parade this year,” commented Jack Ferraro, Festival General Chair. “We as a city, state, and nation owe so many Health care and essential workers a debt of gratitude
and look forward to honoring this special group of people during this year’s Mum Festival. We are also excited to be bringing the Festival downtown this year, and this years’ Festival will certainly feature something for everyone.”
As a reminder, the Mum Festival will be held on September 24th -26th and will feature vendors from area businesses, crafters, local producers, restaurants, food trucks, community organizations, non-profits, and museums. In addition, to the Mum Festival Parade, the Festival will also feature a kid’s carnival, children’s programming. Plans also include a classic car show, great food, a beer and wine garden, and plenty of live music and entertainment. As always, admission to the Mum Festival will be free.