Husband and wife Dr. John and Patrice Concannon first met each other at meetings of the Gaspee Days Committee, and have each separately run previous Gaspee Days Parades, John in 1994 and Patti in 2001.

In planning this year’s 50th Anniversary 2015 Gaspee Days Parade, the two teamed up with the primary goal to assemble the best colonial-themed parade possible. They spent a good part of the past long winter researching and contacting those groups they wanted to participate in the parade.

A secondary goal was to recapture many of the groups that marched in the original 1966 Gaspee Days Parade. Unfortunately, many of those units are no longer in existence, but they did get a few to return, such as the Ancient Mariners Fife & Drum Corps from New London, Conn., and the USS Constitution Pikemen from Boston. Some were substituted – the Young Midshipmen of America did not appear to be currently in existence, so the Concannons instead reached out to the US Naval Sea Cadets as a modern replacement. Many groups familiar to current parade-watchers were not in existence back in 1966. The hosting colonial unit of the Pawtuxet Rangers was not re-established until 1972, and many other such groups only came into being with the approaching American Bicentennial in 1976.

Planning to get some of the premier units for the parade was a process that began over a year ago, by ensuring accurate contact information was available for all the previous parade groups.

John Concannon sat down for a planning session with Col. Ronald Barnes of the Pawtuxet Rangers. As it turns out, Barnes was a great source for the kind of esoteric information needed, as he is incoming Commandant of the Centennial Legion, a national umbrella organization for groups which re-enact Revolutionary War forces.

With Barnes’ connections, they were able to secure the appearance of the Ancient and Honorable Artillery Company of Massachusetts. Established in 1638, the group is the oldest chartered military unit in North America. Parade watchers won’t likely recognize them as the oldest militia though, because they wear modern US Army style, dress green uniforms.

Acquiring the Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps was a major goal of the planning from early on. The group, comprised of active duty U.S. Army soldiers, is the Official Ceremonial and Escort Unit to the president of the United States. The Old Guard had appeared in the Gaspee Days Parade only once before, according to parade records. The unit performs frequently within the mid-Atlantic region near their home quarters of Fort Myer, Va., but getting them to travel outside that area took volumes of paperwork, calls, emails, texting, patience, and calling political contacts. Neither Concannon would expound on this last point, but U.S. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island happens to be a member of the influential Senate Armed Services Committee.

The 25-member Old Guard is staying in Warwick overnight. “We will be treating them as royalty,” Dr. Concannon said. Past Gaspee Days Parade Grand Marshal, restauranteur Bob Burke, will be hosting the Old Guard to a fine meal at his French bistro, Pot au Feu. Later that day, the group will give a concert at 7 p.m. in Providence under the auspices of the 2015 Gaspee Days Parade Grand Marshal, WaterFire artistic creator, Barnaby Evans. The colonial themes during WaterFire will extend to debates on the merits of attacking the Gaspee, as seen by re-enactors of 1772 at the Wild Colonial Tavern on South Main Street. There will also be a torchlight procession accompanying the Pawtuxet Rangers down to that location.

Besides outstanding performance units, another unique feature this year will be the appearance of many more floats than in any previous parade. Recruiting neighborhood organizations to build floats took some coercion, publicity, and incentives. Because this year there will be appearing some 16 or 17 different colonial fife and drums corps, more floats were needed to act as “spacers” between the music of one group interfering with the music played by other nearby units. Floats displaying a colonial or Revolutionary theme are the most prized by the Gaspee Days Committee, and are rewarded by being entered earlier into the parade line-up earlier and finishing sooner.

This should be the best Gaspee Days Parade ever, both Concannons agreed. It means a lot to the committee and the neighbors to have a place in the history books right in our own backyard – an event that can be celebrated annually.

Although the Concannons are listed as “parade co-chairs,” it is certainly a team effort from the nearly 50 members and their friends and families. Their vice-chair, Kristine Huff, will be taking the reins next year for the 2016 Gaspee Days Parade on June 11. She is affectionately called “#51” by Committee president, Erin Flynn.