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    Eagle Archives, Sept. 20, 1976: Eastover’s ‘hometown’ holds parade

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    By By Susan Besaw

    Copyright berkshireeagle

    Eagle Archives, Sept. 20, 1976: Eastover's 'hometown' holds parade

    LENOX — The weather was beautiful and the crowd reaction subdued yesterday at this town’s bicentennial parade, believed to be the last town parade in the county to celebrate the nation’s 200th birthday this year.

    It was George Bisacca’s fourth bicentennial parade this year, but the first one his resort, Eastover, actually cosponsored. The other sponsor was the Lenox Fire Department.

    “We went all out for Lenox. It’s our hometown,” Bisacca said.

    About 28 of the 62 units in the parade were from Eastover. They traced the history of the country from Colonial times to the early 20th century.

    Accompanied by four of his grandchildren on horseback, Bisacca was marshal of the event, which ran approximately 1½ hours.

    Bisacca said that Eastover, which also had floats in the Lee, Great Barrington and Pittsfield parades this year, had to turn down about 15 requests to participate in other town parades.

    Estimating Saturday’s crowd was difficult because the line of march stretched from the Church-on-the-Hill on Main Street down West Street to Tanglewood, where many of the floats were on display and trophies were awarded.

    The estimates ranged from 4,000 to 5,000 by Police Chief Anthony Romeo to 12,000 by Robert McNinch of Eastover, a member of the parade committee. Several committee members, including chairman Edward Barry, said they were disappointed at the turnout.

    The parade began with the firing of Eastover cannons at the Church-on-the-Hill and a flyover of four fighter planes from Griffith Air Force Base in Rome, N.Y. For many, it ended with a party of beer, pizza and hot dogs at Eastover.

    The Lenox Girl Scout float, which had a large handmade Eagle perched on top, won the trophy for outstanding float. The Monument Mountain Regional High School band was the “best-appearing” musical unit and Hope Church’s float won for the best one submitted by a religious unit.

    The Camp Fire Girls had the best float for a youth-service unit and the Lenox Kiwanis Club won the trophy for the best-appearing civic unit.

    The Eastover float did not compete for prizes.

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