 We have one runner that's pushing the youngster in a stroller Looks like number 187 is out in front 187 making his way to the top of the hill followed by 159 and 102 pushing that stroller Big round of applause and we have a winner of the Green Mountain Mile There's gonna be many more runners making their way shortly give each and every one of them a big round of applause As they make their way to bank hill in Waterbury on Main Street. It's a personal best time for many of them It's a hobby for many of them Here comes number 172 On his way to the finish line and there he goes across the finish line at the Green Mountain Mile You can see as they're shaking their heads back and forth. The humidity is taking its toll on some of these runners It is a strenuous endeavor to make it a full mile at more or less sprint feed there goes number 140 It's not like a marathon. It's almost a sprint all the way. The kick is from the very beginning of a mile race Round of applause for number 120 young man making his way up bank hill number 141 You can see that humidity is bearing down as the runners make their way north along Main Street in the village of Waterbury Seeing a lot of young teens in this group coming up now some youngsters perhaps three team looks like a sprint to the top It's particularly tough to have a hill like this right at the very end of a one mile race Because as I say it's a sprint the kick begins with the first step As you embark on the Green Mountain Mile here in Waterbury to become a popular race over the years for many runners There'll be another mile race coming your way next week in Montpelier Montpelier mile That comes number 14 up the hill young man making his way to the top of the hill number 188 Ponytail flying in the wind and she's out away another ponytail on the way up the hill right now Several youngsters some very young runners on the route right now. They look like they're holding up exceedingly well In fact the younger runners look like they're holding up a lot better than some of the older ones There's number one making his way to the finish line with a nice wide open stride Thank you in Waterbury Congratulations Green Mountain Mile Runners look like they're having a good time, but it's a real struggle and it's a real race That is people are looking for personal bests Proving on their times from previous years Wearing his red socks cap there he goes up to the top of the hill to the Green Mountain Mile As you can see the runners are pretty well spread out all along the route now The elite runners came in a few minutes ago, and now we're looking at many of the hobby runners Participants from here again to set their own personal best record Number 123 making his way up the hill now 154 couple youngsters 155 and 153 Side-by-side coming up the hill as well Looks like there's families out here couples out here We've seen youngsters that look like they're down Into the mid-single digits as far as age is concerned I haven't seen any real Because number 185 making her way up the hill red white and blue attire on The beautiful blonde hair in the breeze She's gonna make it up to the top of the hill to complete the Green Mountain Mile a lot of families involved Holding hands number 201 and 202 as they make their way to the finish line Lots of moms and dads dads and daughters fathers and sons brothers and sisters in the race Here comes another runner pushing on a stroller with a youngster in a stroller. I Don't think the youngsters broken a sweat the number 128 is doing a great job Congratulations number 128 on your way to the finish line couple of youngsters along with them It's like a family here number 23 leaving this group up the hill You can go straight for the past last hundred yards or so with the Green Mountain Mile It's a fairly flat route until you get just about to The prohibition pig and then you feel that great up and feel the burn as you make your way to the top of a kill Look at number 20. There's the strollers again big round of applause number 61 making her way up the hill You're watching the Green Mountain Mile on Main Street in Waterbury Village the opening act of the not quite independent Stay celebration and their Huffin and Puffin big smile on her face She makes her way up the hill pushing the stroller also number 72 The runners and certainly turning a broom when our big parade steps off just in a matter of minutes Another sprint to the finish line at the Green Mountain Mile As I said, it's a humid day out there and that humidity is really making it difficult for some Play this little number 166 number 166 absolutely adorable Somebody get a picture We need pictures of this young lady. Look at her go. I could be wrong, but that's got to be the youngest runner out there today Let's hear it for her. That's terrific We got a few that are straggling in at the end. It's a real accomplishment and folks Don't make light of it if someone comes in at the very end of the pack They still completed a race that I couldn't even begin to complete I'd be crawling on Main Street after the first hundred yards So give them all a big round of applause no matter where they finish in this race It's a race for many, but it's an endeavor for many as well. Here comes another 173 Look at this tiny tight. She's gonna make it. Look at those pigtails. She's doing great Pigtails make it to the top of the hill and you're there pigtails. Let's go pigtails big round of applause for pigtails Another one 165 she's doing great got a little headband on holding a hand to give her a little encouragement She's gonna make it give him the encouragement. It's that number one away over there. He's doing well, too That is ball cap on his way number 162 number 192 They're gonna make it red cap is focused that looks like a family endeavor there Mom and dad are giving him the encouragement. He's gonna make it. Look at this little guy a little orange shirt Coming up to the end of the Green Mountain Mile. I think we have one more participant Give this mella round of applause. Give me encouragement number 112 With you buddy Keep on plugging buddy. You're gonna make it. There you go. Sprint to the finish number 112 and it looks like we're down to the end Congratulations, all of the participants in the Green Mountain Mile The song is supposed to be sung its way here very shortly. They're on Main Street headed north Started way down on congratulations again to all the runners and thanks to the Waterbury fire department for putting their Grand and glorious stars and stripes over the roadway here as the parade makes its way our way almost to the fire department as we speak For those of you who are from out of town. We welcome you to Waterbury This village has grown and has become so beautiful over the past several years the metamorphosis of Waterbury began about 10 or 12 years ago and has continued and Was kind of spurred along oddly enough by tropical storm Irene Almost in front of the fire station. It might be stopped in front of Albert Karen's place or pretty close to it Albert being the grand marshal of this year's parade Louise Reed and Mary Ann Larkin are the judges for the various entries in the parade And we'll be stopping the winners in various categories right here in front of our reviewing station and Presenting them with their certificates of recognition and Congratulations by the cruiser of the Waterbury Police Department fireworks get into way at dusk tonight And there's many many good viewing areas all around this community Take your time be patient with the traffic especially after the fireworks are over and you'll have a good time The not quite Independence Day parade celebration is underway has been underway for a few minutes now But it's finally reaching our venue our viewing vantage point here on Bank Hill in Waterbury And first of all a warm welcome and thank you to the Waterbury Police Department Duty all the time watching out for our community Leading the way as they have for so many years As Waterbury celebrates Independence Day in its own way many years ago It used to be on the Independence Day weekend and that as we mentioned earlier They decided to move it a week earlier to give everybody a shot at going to various Celebrations not competing with one another and it's worked out great People come from near and far to come to Waterbury For this week before Independence Day celebration and QID Lots of great food this year lots of great brews always lots of great music all things Vermont The theme for this year's parade It's a pretty broad category. So there should be some entries that cover a lot of different ways of looking at that Check your listings incidentally and listen to the party calendar on WDEV over the next several days Because we'll have announcements on where all the other celebrations are this week and next weekend There's plenty of them going on We'll be broadcasting parades in Warren Vermont We'll have our usual will be involved in the Moscow Parade providing the music on the radio a very interesting and unique Way of celebrating Independence Day for radio station inviting the community with boom boxes to march in their local parade That'll be next weekend and ladies and gentlemen Let this color guard Stand as the people that we honor as we honor America and thank the American Legion for their service These men and women of the American Legion over the years are the people that have kept America free and fought for our causes Around the world we welcome the American Legion of Waterbury and the color guard many thanks to the men and women who serve this country Decade in decade out Regardless of politics They stand up step forward and take the oath Again, we'd ask spectators to make sure you stay off the parade route So there's plenty of room for the parade itself to make its way through here Once again a big round of applause for the American Legion and the men and women who serve This year congratulations to Albert Karen our grand marshal There's a fellow who does a lot for the community a lot for the Boy Scouts Runs a great business here in town Albert Congratulations our grand marshal a truly patriotic individual Scots Phil Scots contingent here in the parade here today. They're green shirts Marching in the parade as they will no doubt in many parades. There he is I was wondering if he's actually here governor Phil Scott the governor of the state of Vermont Thank the governor for being here today to help us celebrate not quite independence day in the community of Waterbury And there's the big dog of the parade if you were wondering who the big dog is, there's the big dog Peter Welsh's contingent in the parade and the congressman himself here on a weekend away from Washington a big round of applause and welcome for Congressman Peter Welsh Beautiful day Come on Stevens marching in the parade Waterbury Democrats marching in the parade for the not quite independence day celebration And we welcome them. We talk about those who serve their communities day in day out And these independence day parades across the Green Mountain State as well as they're all across the country are a great opportunity to thank those this particular contingent celebrating 46 years the Waterbury ambulance service if you're not a member you should be Watch for that card in the mail when it comes right out of check and send it in Believe you me you'll not regret it the Waterbury ambulance service again It's important to note that the Waterbury fire department is a completely volunteer operation and here they come Let's give a big round of applause and a grateful thank you to all of those men and women who serve at the Waterbury fire department There's their utility vehicle That's going to be followed by rescue one and rescue two a Waterbury fire department Right front trunks all polished up with wax to look at spiffy They got the stars and stripes flying over Main Street They do a great job for us 365 days of the year Waterbury fire department. It's no small undertaking to volunteer to your local fire department You're in you're out They're there Ladies and gentlemen, we now welcome the community band Kind of applause for the community band. Ladies and gentlemen the Waterbury not quite Independence Day parade at celebration welcomes miss Vermont Aaron Connor Erin's from Bruteport Vermont. We welcome here her to our celebration Happy Independence Day celebration to miss Vermont Aaron Connor doing her job to represent The state of Vermont all over the state and most likely beyond the borders of the state of Vermont Next we have the Waterbury children's room saving our planet for Vermont's children the Waterbury children's room And they are green look at those as offense And that certainly is one of the things that could be considered all things Vermont Keeping it green Let's hear it for the Waterbury children's room. It is a gentleman boys and girls Grooves and bruise. It's all afternoon down at the bruise.com Try to say that five times fast We want to make you a there's Justin Blacklip with his entertaining tractor for sure He's done more than a few entertaining tractors over the years Congratulations to the Waterbury Waterbury Club We are so proud to have the Vermont National Guard here with us today. Thank you for your service Most recently, thank you and welcome home to Vermont step up and serve and they've done so admirably over the years And our nation knows when they need someone to go and do the job They can call on the Green Mountain Contingent the Vermont Army National Guard and the Air National Guard for that matter as well Hands-on science education comes to us from four wins nature group that's a book primary school Look at this look at their solar panel up there and they're saving the planet The hands-on science education That's your Brooke primary school made in this event and many others That school is a focal point of the community of Waterbury stars and stripes all along Main Street and maintain those flags We want to thank them for the work they've done And the organizers of course this event and many others the concert in the Park series the Waterbury River You want to see some good hockey some great competition Sports at its best. How about Harwood hockey? You'll certainly enjoy a Harwood hockey game next winter be sure to go to one right here at the ice Center in Waterbury You will not be disappointed From Montpelier senator and Cummings is here with us. Welcome to Waterbury senator We hope you're enjoying the not quite Independence Day parade and later on today the celebration of Kazan all day You're in the beautiful community of Waterbury if we conjured up a beautiful day for you today or what? Just about perfect. It looks like we're gonna have the Crustin of Waterbury and a little physical fitness demonstration coming our way. They're gonna haul a truck up Bank Hill We talked about earlier completing them on the Green Mountain Mile and how arduous that was for those runners Get this folks here. They come you got a chair man. You gotta give them support That's a level of fitness. I can't even begin to relate to music carry the way You know they tour many many parades around Vermont when they get up here to our location Please give them a big Waterbury warm welcome to the Hannaford Fife and drum core ice cream for various organizations and causes They employ a lot of people and they do a lot for the community And it's been a great many years Ben and Jerry's factory has been located right here in Waterbury We're glad to have it People who work at Ben and Jerry's take their role very seriously of serving the community and being a part of the community Yeah, the driver in particular looks like he's really into it chickens have become popular in Vermont Ben and Jerry's ice cream Looks like they're giving out some great treats along with the range route Jerry's ice cream music tonight at the Zen bar and we're told that poster That's a live stock on board. We welcome the Zen board Zen bar hot-picking party the Zen bar. Thanks for being here carts love those clouds But most importantly everyone loves the great work the Shriners do year in year out for children and others We are so proud of them and so thankful to them for everything that they do the Shriners Don't think for a moment that they're just a parade flow There's so much more than that and they're so meaningful their service to this entire region The Shriners for being in our parade hospitals for children Do such good work such important work? They don't ask for any thanks, but they deserve a great deal of gratitude from literally everyone There's hardly a family anywhere that has not been touched by the work done by the Shriners Shriners clowns always a favorite Do wheelies for us depends a parade and celebration now we have the Seminary Arts Center of Waterbury the summer art camps that they offer and Seminary Arts Center if we want to congratulate them for best use of theme in this year's parade everything Vermont Seminary Arts Center Congratulations Everything Vermont and the best use of that theme in their float with their Vermont strong license plate on the side Big whale tail that you'll see on top of the vehicle And also on the side of the interstate Got a whole steam on a bike on the back of course Seminary Arts Center of Waterbury best use of theme in the parade We're in a blue hat Go figure Marching to her old drummer 49 the mason's they're another organization that does a great deal of good all across Vermont and all around the country We welcome the mason's musky lodge number 49 Proud to be a mason free masonry making good men better the mason's and thank you for being in them Not quite Independence Day parade parade is complete without at least a few contingents from fire departments around the region Waterbury is here of course take her number one the Waterbury fire department The volunteers that are there standing by 24 hours a day 365 days a year year after year we thank them Ladies and gentlemen if you have not yet been to the new Waterbury public library on Main Street in Waterbury You need to go there. It's a state-of-the-art facility. It's beautifully run It's just a terrific place. You can spend time there. They love having you come in for a visit It's a centerpiece of our community. We welcome the Waterbury library to today's parade What a great job they do the Waterbury public library built that new building here a little while ago and it's a Great place to go and have a cup of coffee enjoy some good company Some beautiful views out over the Dacro field and the forests out beyond the back of the river and enjoy a good book Take home a good book Such an asset to our community the Waterbury public library We've talked about fitness a couple of times here this morning. Here's some people that are fit the Central Vermont Gymnastics Academy These young people are doing some handstands and cartwheels for us or the vision of fitness Central Rock Gymnastics Academy Cartwheeling up Thank you on Main Street in Waterbury We've been talking about service to our community from a number of different organizations and service to the region the state and the country One organization that certainly provides a great deal of service to the community of Waterbury right on Stone Street in Waterbury They've touched so many lives over the years the Waterbury area senior center Great people doing a great job with meals on wheels Activities at the senior center. We thank them so much for being a part of this community And I would have said that even without the bribe of the cookies It's worth saying folks. We have one of the best communities in the entire world right here We welcome the volunteer fire departments from surrounding communities to our parade Middle sex volunteer fire department when there's a mutual aid call They all band together and provide the protection that we need Engine number six from the middle sex volunteer fire department I think it's safe to say when you talk about the community of Waterbury and the broader community of the state of Vermont There's a very lively arts community all across the Green Mountain State Here's the Green Mountain Performing Arts of Waterbury Let's hear it for the Green Mountain Performing Arts of Waterbury Again a big warm welcome to one of our surrounding communities volunteer fire departments from Bolton engine number one Welcome to Waterbury for the Bolton fire department comes engine number two Sparkling red white the sunshine of central Vermont the Bolton Volunteer fire department This is that a spectacular rescue squad represented in rescue one you want from the fire department Sends a big. Thank you. They say Waterbury recreation It's your to get nice and loud They've got some day camps going on Do you want to know more about it? I'm sure they'd love to hear from you Just fairly one of our surrounding community fire departments from Weitzfield the fire department of Weitzfield and Fauston Engine number five It's 1995 so but a car before us that's a military vehicle here in classic car show will take place this year in Stowe This contingent is the Vermont automobile enthusiasts. They've got 19 Units here. They're gonna have hundreds on the field in Stowe in just a month or so during August for the final show In Stowe, Vermont But don't be worried. The show is not going away. It's coming to Waterbury in classic car meet will be in Waterbury in 2018 right on farce field where our celebration is today Look forward to that a lot of big plans being put in place as they make the transition from stow down root 100 to the community of Waterbury for a great beginning and a new era for the Vermont antique and classic car meet Look forward to that in 2018 right here in Waterbury. Look at some of these beautiful vehicles. They brought in for us today Just a sampling what you'll see on the field in Stowe In what four or five weeks the first full weekend in August I believe it is 11th 12th military vehicles passenger vehicles pick up trucks large trucks. They've got them all There's a little Volkswagen convertible there Mercedes Benz convertible That's a pretty one. Let's see those headlights one more time the parade in Stowe already It's coming up folks. Enjoy it in Stowe. You'll be in the parade, right? Here's one that's always in the parade in Stowe the middle-sex electric Department with their beautiful truck military vehicles. I don't think the machine gun is functional, so don't worry about that But it probably was a green mountain military has been sprinkled in with the Vermont automobile enthusiasts Nothing like a big old black Cadillac in a parade. That's a beauty. Look at that sparkling in the sunshine Right at the very earliest beginnings of the big fin Beautiful Cadillac. Plymouth convertible. Who's that guy? Barbieri Chris Barbieri Executive director of the Vermont Chamber of Commerce He's got his Plymouth valiant in the parade. Here's a mail truck that's often in the parade in Stowe Waterbury in 2018. Well, this is your father's Buick More likely your grandfather's Buick. Perhaps your great-grandfather's Buick. And it's a Buick The great construction companies. Here's one of them. Griffin and Griffin. We welcome Griffin and Griffin to Waterbury 2017 not quite Independence Day Green Mountain Alliance Church Christian Alliance Church represented in the parade today They're just south of Waterbury In Duxbury or more town. I'm not sure which Nobody sure which Duxmore Berry we call it Another entry from one of our visiting fire departments from around the region. We welcome the more town fire department With engine number one. Welcome to more town Do you want a crowd pleaser in a parade? Go for mini horses. Donna Sherman brings mini horses to us And they're beautiful Donna Aren't they adorable? A lot of people enjoy the line dancing hobby around Central Vermont and they entertain a lot of people at events like this and many others The step in timeline Dancers I asked you how many of you were Cub Scouts when you were little raise your hands Cub Scouts Here we have Cub Scouts pack 711 all things Vermont they put together together a great float Cub Scouts pack 711 Waterbury Duxbury Chartered by the American Legion post 59 great float Cub Scouts great organization. Okay, no round of applause for these folks. Do you want you to laugh at them? The Waterbury improv troop give him a big laugh everybody ha ha ha Waterbury comedy troop and improv I don't want to scare anybody but we've got a dinosaur on the roof A T-Rex at that those T-Rex has been around town for a while now We have for the most patriotic entry in this year is not quite Independence Day Celebration parade paradise acres. Congratulations. Most patriotic Got that red white and blue pony over there everybody's wearing red white and blue and looking patriotic Neighbor it says on the front of the float Clyde Little more a little league Play ball Little League's a great institution in this country. There's a lot of young people a chance to get out and play ball Get out and support them. You want to watch a good ball game go to one of their ball games We got Mark Foster coming our way riding a mighty Mabel a ten-year-old Belgian mare. What a beautiful Steve Horses Want to thank everybody for coming out for the not quite Independence Day parade and the celebration Which will continue right into the evening hours tonight All the festivities take place down on farce field. That's good beer down there That's good music down there. Take the family enjoy yourself Gonna be a beautiful afternoon and hang around for the fireworks tonight get yourself a good vantage point to see the great fireworks display Enjoy not quite Independence Day We let the music carry the day here for a moment from the Crosshead Brook Middle School The marching band of the Crosshead Brook Middle School Crosshead Brook Middle School theme. What a great marching band the Crosshead Brook Middle School The final few entries in the Waterbury not quite Independence Day parade the Waterbury Mission Waterbury Mission reaching teaching and loving the world like Jesus the Waterbury Mission One of the many great houses of worship around the community of Waterbury, and they always do the cleanup They have for the last several years providing a service to this parade Service to the community that they love the Waterbury Mission Church the conclusion of the Waterbury Independence Day celebration Waterbury fire department Seth Warner engine company again a beautiful sparkling red fire truck here in the parade in Waterbury Many thanks to all the volunteers that provide the service that we so depend on year-in year-out and the Waterbury ambulance If you're not already a member of the Waterbury ambulance squad by all means sign up Your day will come and you'll be glad you did They've been serving this community for many years and they need your financial support All you have to do is be a member it doesn't cost much but it goes a long way in helping provide the service And the sheriff's department bringing us to the conclusion of the not quite Independence Day parade Ladies and gentlemen a big round of applause to all of the entries in today's parade And the shrine the Mount Sinai Shriners we hit you don't worry There you go Big shout out to the Waterbury Rotary Club for all that they do all year long Ladies and gentlemen have a great not quite Independence Day Celebration I'm Tom Beardsley along with Eric Michaels. We thank you for being here. It's a pleasure for us We hope you have a great and safe celebration this weekend and next weekend all across for bound. Thank you