WILTON — Preparations for Wilton’s annual Blueberry Festival are currently underway with Event Coordinator Renee Woodard getting the road closures needed for the festival’s parade, fireworks display, and other festivities approved by the Select Board on Tuesday, April 23.

This year’s Blueberry Festival will take place on Friday, Aug. 2, and Saturday, Aug. 3, in downtown Wilton. The parade is scheduled for Saturday and the theme for this year will be “Shipwreck Island”. Registration for the parade began on Tuesday, April 23.

During the Select Board meeting, Selectperson Keith Swett addressed an issue with holding road closures until pedestrian traffic has completely cleared the area.

“The road closures are not stopping vehicles from coming down through, or trying to leave immediately after the fireworks are over,” Swett told the board.

Woodard shared Swett concerns, adding that it wasn’t as much of an issue last year because it was better enforced. However, they still faced the issue of people moving barricades to drive through despite event staff asking them not to move them.

Woodard said she would stress to volunteers and staff to make sure all closures remain until 9:45 p.m. to allow foot traffic to safely vacate the area. She added that she would look into adding more staff to make sure all barricades are manned to ensure safety.

The first road closure request is set for Friday, Aug. 2, from 6 to 10 p.m., and will be for the street dancing portion of the festival. The closure will only affect the monument area, closing Main Street from the bottom of Prospect Street to the bottom of High Street.

Alternative travel routes will be designated. Live music will be playing from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and up to four food trucks are planned to occupy the area during this portion of the evening. According to Woodard, the same request has been made for the last two years and has been well received with no complaints from the Police Department or motorists.

Woodard also requested traffic control for the road races taking place on Friday, with the high traffic intersections of each race route manned by Wilton Fire and Rescue and Police Department personnel to ensure the safety of racers and motorists.

The kid’s one mile will start at Cushing School at 5 p.m., with runners taking a left onto Main Street, continuing to run onto Park Street, then loop around and run down Maple Street back on to Main Street. Runners will follow Main Street towards Cushing Drive and the finish line.

For the 5K, runners will begin at the town garage on Weld Road at 5:30 p.m., running to Colby Miller Road, then to Orchard Drive. Runners will continue onto Main Street, following it until Cushing Drive and the finish line.

No road closures were requested for these routes, just temporary delays while runners go through according to Woodard.

For Saturday, Aug. 2, Main Street from the bottom of High Street to the edge of Food City’s parking lot will be closed starting at 7 a.m. to allow vendors to set up safely. Starting at 9 a.m., the closure will extend from the bottom of Prospect Street to the edge of Food City’s driveway until 4:30 p.m. or the last vendor has packed and vacated the area.

At 4:30 p.m., the enclosed area will shrink down to the Civil War Monument similar to the previous evening’s closure [Main Street from the bottom of Prospect Street to the bottom of High Street]. Live music and up to six food trucks are expected in this area until 10 p.m.

From 7 a.m. on Saturday morning until noon, the event staff will also close off the parking area by the boat landing to keep the area clear to allow parade participants to loop back around to High Street and also to keep the area empty for when the fireworks delivery shows up at the conclusion of the parade.

According to Woodard, the closure needs to remain in effect until the fireworks are over and packed up for safety reasons at the request of Wilton Fire Chief Sonny Dunham. The boat ramp will also be closed during this time to allow the fire department and the fireworks company to safely unload, stage, discharge and pack up the fireworks.

The fireworks company will also be using the public boat ramp to load barges and needs a safe perimeter as required by law, Woodard wrote. Posters alerting the public to the extent of this closure will be posted on the kiosk near the ramp up to three weeks before the event.

The parade route is expected to begin at the Wilton Town Office at 187 Weld Road at 10 a.m.

At the end of Weld Road, the parade route will follow Main Street and proceed until the Civil War Monument in the downtown area.

The following roads that connect to Weld Road and Main Street will be closed starting at 9:50 a.m. until the conclusion of the parade.

• Weld Road and Colby Miller Road.

• Weld Road and High Street.

• Weld Road and Curve Street.

• Weld Road and Main Street.

• Main Street and Curve Street.

• Main Street and School Street.

• Main Street and Sewall Street.

• Main Street and Prospect Street.

• Main Street and Route 2.

• Main Street and Lake Road [end of bridge].

For the fireworks show, the following routes will be closed and manned by members of Wilton Fire and Rescue, Police Department and Public Works Department from 5 until 9:45 p.m.

• Main Street and Prospect Street.

• Main Street and Route 2.

• Lake Road and Walker Hill Road.

• Route 2 and Gilbert Street.

• Route 2 and Preston Street.

• Lake Road from Bridge to Walker Hill Road.

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