SOUTH HADLEY — Traffic on the Route 116 bridge won’t be at a standstill Sunday — it will be dancing.
Pedestrians, cyclists, bands, magicians and others will take the place of cars on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge, Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., as part of first Connecticut River Roll and Stroll Street Festival. The event is free.
“We want people to come from all over the community — not just Holyoke and South Hadley,” Mariann Millard, South Hadley co-chairwoman. “We want everyone to come down and have a great time and experience the Connecticut River in a completely new way.”
Fellow co-chairman Sean Condon, of Holyoke, said he was excited to see people from both communities getting outside, mingling and reclaiming the bridge space for themselves.
“Hundreds of thousands of people use the bridge regularly in cars but don’t really use it on a more personal level,” he said. “It’s exciting to get people out to enjoy the space for what it is and not just a road from here to there.”
The festival will open with a single volley from the bridge by the End Zone Militia, the crew in Revolutionary War garb that celebrates scores by the New England Patriots.
“We’re celebrating fish migration. We are celebrating the veterans because the bridge is called the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge,” Millard said.
To keep people moving and grooving throughout the event, more than a dozen musical groups will be on hand, including the South Hadley High School Band, Holyoke Public Schools Music Group, Bomba De Aqui, The Party Band and Sweet’s Mandolin Orchestra.
A parade kicks off from both ends of the bridge at 12:50 p.m. with another volley by the End Zone Militia. The public is invited to take part in the parade. Close to 300 “fish kites” have been made by community members to help get kids in the spirit to join, Millard explained.
“This fish artwork is just absolutely beautiful,” she said.
The parade ends in the middle of the bridge with a re-dedication of ceremony honoring veterans.
The Barrett Fishway will also be open during the festival.
For those more interested in taking in the view of the river, a serenity spot will be set up in the middle of bridge. The Massachusetts Audubon Society will have guides in the spot to help visitors identify wildlife they spot.
Other entertainment includes a soccer dribbling course, tai chi, free face painting, bike decorating, a bubble station and jump rope.
Five food vendors will be set up on the ends of the bridge for those looking to purchase a bite to eat.
The event also marks the official kickoff of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation’s Bay State Bike Week 2017. Representatives from the department will be on hand to solicit input for the Massachusetts Bicycle Transportation Plan — Bicycle Plan — which is being updated for the first time since 2008, according to MassDOT.
“We want people to have a blast but people need to remember there is a raging river down below,” Millard said. “We want people to stay off the railings and on the road, on the sidewalks.”
The Connecticut River Roll and Stroll Street Festival is being presented by the Bike/Walk Committees of the City of Holyoke and the Town of South Hadley with support from MassDOT, the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike), the Cultural Councils of South Hadley and Holyoke and a variety of other state and local partners.
More information about the event can be found at www.facebook.com/riverrollandstroll
If you go: The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with the bridge closing to cars 30 minutes prior to the event beginning and reopening 30 minutes after the event ends. It is a drug-free, alcohol-free and smoke-free event and coolers will not be allowed on the bridge. Fishing off the bridge is not allowed. Street parking is available on roads on either side of the bridge. Handicapped parking will be accommodated at the South Hadley Police Station with the appropriate sticker.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.