The Freddie Fixer Parade

The Freddie Fixer Parade is held in New Haven, CT. The parade goes through Hamden, and travels down Dixwell Avenue before turning to ward downtown being and ends up on the green. Held every year in May, the Freddie Fixer celebration is no longer just a parade. It has grown to include events such as a community cleanup, violence awareness programs, an annual breakfast and community activities. People that are in the parade are: local drill teams, school kids, officers, fire fighters and many others. The Freddie Fixer Parade means different things to different people; most of the time the Freddie Fixer Parade means having fun with your family and next door neighbors.

The tradition began in 1962, when Dr. Fred Smith, Ed Grant, Charles Twyman and Edna Baker Carnegie all had an idea to make the neighborhood better and created a clean-up committee for the Dixwell community. The purpose was to get residents to show pride in their community. It quickly evolved into an annual parade.

Since its beginning, more than 500,000 people have watched the parade. The parade is now in its 43rd year, but it hasn’t always been a smooth journey. Once for instance, a motorcyclist lost control of his bike and crashed into a group of people seriously injuring three children. In addition, during the 2002 parade a city teenager allegedly shot and killed his friend. The shooting happened alongside the parade route. The Freddie Fixer Parade suffered because of these events.

But The Freddie Fixer has grown a great deal since it began. People still attend the Freddie fixer every year. The Freddie fixer gives businesses a chance to advertise their products. The community still loves the Freddie fixer parade.

- Erin Braxton