July 4 Parade Theme
Celebrates Chandler’s 100th

This year’s theme for the Randolph Fourth of July Parade will be "Where the Arts and Community Meet," it was announced this week by Lynn Irish, executive director of the Randolph Area Chamber of Commerce.

The theme was chosen by the Chamber in honor of this year’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of Chandler Music Hall. The Music Hall was donated by Albert B. Chandler, who learned the telegraph business in a Randolph storefront and went on to become one of the most important pioneers of the telecommunications industry. Along the way, he spent three exciting years in the Lincoln White House, as one of three "cipher operators" in the telegraph office in the War Room.

The fall will bring several celebrations of the gift of the Music Hall, and the July 4 parade theme will kick it all off.

Several parade themes were proposed. In second place was "Hooray for the Red, White and Blue and the Green Mountains too." A tie for third place was "Randolph's Glorious Fourth - Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," and "Celebrating Youth."

"It will be exciting to see how the many businesses and groups in the region tie into the theme", said Irish. "There are many possibilities for creativity. Patriotic flair is also encouraged as it is a celebration of our nation’s birthday".

Information on how to participate in the parade, sign up for booth space, enter the third annual Chili Challenge or reserve advertising space in the Fourth of July supplement in The Herald will be available soon. For more info and to be included on the mailing list, call the Chamber at 728-9027.