Portsmouth's 400th anniversary parade is June 3. Here's what you need to know.

PORTSMOUTH — Miniature horses? Check. The Portsmouth Thriller dance troupe? Check. A Royal Navy reunion 50 years in the making? Check. Hundreds of past and present Portsmouth High School band members? Check.

The countdown to the city’s extravagant 400th anniversary parade, orchestrated by Portsmouth NH 400th Inc., is nearing blastoff. The June 3 celebration at 11 a.m., one of the city quadricentennial celebration's signature events, is nearly here and planners are corralling the last of the parade’s marchers, performers and floats to put on a show they hope will be remembered for decades.

How do organizers describe what to expect?

“I just think it’s going to be a giant party,” said City Councilor Beth Moreau, who serves as the anniversary group’s signature events committee chairperson.

How big is Portsmouth 400th parade?

Approximately 1,400 people will march in the parade that is expected to draw thousands of spectators celebrating the 400th year since the city's settlement. While the city annually holds its treasured Halloween and holiday parades, a Portsmouth anniversary-related parade has not been held since the 350th in 1973.

“Our concept going into it was that we wanted to marry the spirit of the Halloween parade … with the joy of the illuminated holiday parade and knit those two things together,” said Trevor Bartlett, co-chairperson of the parade committee. “We wanted to do it in daylight, which is something that does not happen in this town very often. We don’t get daylight parades, so this will be unlike anything the town has seen in 50 years.”

With DJ Skooch emceeing the event from Market Square, a host of local organizations and nonprofits — including the Portsmouth Garden Club, Portsmouth Historical Society, Portsmouth Women’s City Club, Seacoast Outright, Haven, Gather, the Leftist Marching Band and I Got Bridged — will be represented. Also featured will be a variety of show-stopping performers, including the Portsmouth Thriller dancers of Halloween parade fame and the New Orleans-style Soggy Po Boys, animals like miniature horses and the anniversary group’s “History Blooms Here” float.

400th parade will give a nod to Portsmouth's 350th parade

Leaders touted historical elements that will be incorporated into the parade, such as a float full of past city mayors, Model T vehicles and colonial reenactors firing off muskets, as well as homage to the 350th festivities.

In August 1973, the HMS Minerva ported in Portsmouth and had crew members march in the parade. Among the ship’s crew was then-Prince Charles III, who stood atop the parade viewing stand flanked by former city Mayor Arthur Brady Jr., as well as then-Portsmouth, England Lord Mayor John P.N. Brogden.

Now King Charles III, the royal family patriarch has formally declined to return to Portsmouth to celebrate the city’s quadricentennial parade, according to anniversary leaders.

A former shipmate of the monarch contacted him to inquire if he’d return to Portsmouth.

“The king said, ‘I’m a little busy,’” joked Valerie Rochon, the managing director of Portsmouth NH 400th Inc.

However, an HMS Minerva get-together will occur without the king’s presence, as some crew members aboard the vessel 50 years ago will assemble in the city this year for the 400th anniversary.

“Those who marched with us in the 350th (parade) will be marching with us again this June,” Bartlett said.

Contingents from the USS Cheyenne, which is docked at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, as well as the HMS Scott, a 432-foot-long Royal Navy survey ship, will march, too.

“There’s lots of little details to work out, as there always is in the leadup to a big event,” said Monte Bohanan, an anniversary organizer and the city’s director of communications and community engagement. “But I’m really confident this team has pulled together an amazing parade.”

More local events: USS Albacore, once the world's fastest submarine, now a museum, marks 70th anniversary

How much will the parade cost?

Rochon, the former leader of the Chamber Collaborative of Greater Portsmouth, said the parade could cost less than $75,000. Anniversary events are being funded by sponsors, grants and donations.

“I think it’s just going to be out of the park,” she said.

“It’s a magical experience,” said Brinn Sullivan, the city’s assistant recreation director and an anniversary parade committee member. “Portsmouth is really lucky to have a community that loves a parade, loves to celebrate and loves to participate. I think the parade encapsulates all of those things in Portsmouth.”

Portsmouth High School reunion band set for parade's grand finale

Under the direction of Portsmouth High School band director Eric Gagnon, the grand finale of the parade will feature high school band members playing with the school’s alumni band, a performance in the works since the last reunion band performance in 2016.

Russ Grazier, executive director of the Portsmouth Music & Arts Center, sits on the anniversary’s parade committee and is helping arrange the performance.

Grazier anticipates 230 performers will play, with an additional 50 marchers walking alongside the band and another 20 aboard a trolley.

Former Mayor Tom Ferrini will play trombone, as will the eldest alum in the group, a member of the Clipper Class of 1957 who is flying in from California for the parade.

“I’m really looking forward to all of the people who went to Portsmouth who are going to be flying in from all over the world to participate in the parade,” Grazier said. “I’m going to see friends I haven't seen in years, some I haven’t seen since we were in school together. We’ve all been connecting on Facebook and people have been rehearsing their music with digital support.

“Compared to the 350th, this is probably the parade in the last 50 years that’s had the most broad-based community involvement,” Grazier added. “You’re going to see more community groups and more across-the-community involvement in this parade than you’ve likely seen in Portsmouth in a very long time. It’s bigger, it’s longer and it’s going to be a lot more fun.”

Details about the parade and other June 3 events in Portsmouth

The day of the parade, beginning at 11 a.m. and expected to last two hours, coincides with WOKQ’s Chowder Festival in Prescott Park and the Piscataqua RiverFest at Strawbery Banke Museum. The Chowder Festival will run from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., while the RiverFest will begin at 10 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. In addition, the Portsmouth Fire Department is holding an open house, and the city farmers market will be held at 1 Junkins Ave.

The city's Halloween and holiday parades both draw around 10,000 spectators, according to organizers, who believe the allure of the 400th anniversary parade and other events will draw an even bigger crowd.

“We are anticipating larger than normal crowds and people should plan ahead when coming to Portsmouth,” Sullivan advised.

The grand parade route will travel from the Goodwin Park block on Islington Street to Congress Street and through Market Square, where it will turn right onto Pleasant Street and then right onto Junkins Avenue. The parade will end at Parrott Avenue, the South Mill Pond, and City Hall’s lower parking lots.

According to the city, parking is banned along the parade route and side streets, including all of Congress Street, all of Market Square, all of Pleasant Street and Islington Street from Plaza 800 to the intersection with Congress Street. Cars found parked on these streets after 8 a.m. June 3 will be towed to the National Wrecking Company lot on West Road.

Street closures in place for the parade

The city notes the following streets will be closed the day of the parade:

Islington Street – from Plaza 800 to Maplewood Avenue and most adjacent side streets

The intersection of Middle Street, Congress Street, Maplewood Avenue and Islington Street

Daniel Street – from Penhallow Street to Market Square

Market Street – from Bow Street to Market Square

Fleet Street – from Hanover Street to Congress Street and State Street to Congress Street

State Street – from Middle Street to Pleasant Street

Court Street – from Middle Street to Pleasant Street and Washington Street to Pleasant Street

Porter Street – from Fleet Street to Pleasant Street

Pleasant Street – from Junkins Avenue to Market Square

Junkins Avenue – from Parrott Avenue to Pleasant Street

Parrott Avenue – from Rogers Street to Junkins Avenue

“Those who need to travel between Maplewood Avenue and Middle Street are directed to use I-95 or Borthwick Avenue,” a city announcement states. “There will be significant traffic delays in the parade route area and motorists are strongly urged to seek alternate routes away from affected streets.”

Accessible parking, other methods of transportation

Alternatives to parking, the city added, include:

ADA accessible parking and viewing: In addition to designated spaces downtown the city will reserve five parking spots on Marcy Street near the intersection with State Street for guests with ADA credentials. Space at this location is limited and is offered on a first-come/first-served basis. In addition, ADA accessible viewing of the parade (including accompanying family members) will be reserved in the Bridge Street lot.

Free shuttle rides: Two separate shuttle loops with 14-passenger ADA-equipped shuttle vans will drop passengers at downtown points close to the activities. The shuttles will operate continuously from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors are asked to remove their vehicles by the end of the day on Saturday, June 3.

North Loop for those arriving from north and west of Portsmouth (I-95 south, Route 16, Market Street):

• Parking lot/pickup-drop-off: Connect Community Church, 200 Chase Drive (adjacent to I-95 Exit 7)

• Dropoff-Pickup Point: Russell and Deer streets intersection (Sheraton Harborside Portsmouth Hotel)

South Loop for those arriving from south and west of Portsmouth (Route 1/Lafayette Road, Route 33, I-95 north):

• Parking lot/pickup-drop-off: Rear parking lot of Islamic Society of the Seacoast (ISSA) at 355 Spinney Road (access from Middle Road).

• Parking lot/pickup-drop-off: Little Harbour School, 50 Clough Drive (off South Street).

• Drop-off-pickup: Behind Portsmouth Middle School at Rogers Street.

Bike valet: Those who would like to ride their bicycles into town can utilize Seacoast Area Bicycle Riders' bike valet. SABR volunteers will staff the bike corrals at the middle school on Parrott Avenue so people can safely leave their bikes while they enjoy the parade. There will be a bike repair stand located next to the middle school at Portsmouth Public Library. For information on this service, email info@seacoastbikes.org.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Portsmouth NH 400th anniversary parade is June 3: Event details here