With an ever-present grin and a silver caterpillar mustache, he certainly looks the part. But it's what he does now, not where his ancestors called home, that earned him the honor. This year the North Fork Chamber of Commerce, which stages the parade in concert with the Cutchogue Fire Department, chose a grand marshal from the world of commerce. The organizers needed little time to tag Mr. Scott, whose shop, Robert's Jewelers in Southold, has been a Main Street mainstay for 25 years.
"He's really active in the business community and on top of that he's a veteran member of the fire department," said Joe Corso, chamber president. "Everybody knows Bob's face and he's got the personality to be a good grand marshal."
Mr. Scott said he was both honored and surprised to be selected. "I'm really looking forward to it," he said. "It is supposed to be sunny, right?" The parade will take place rain or shine.)
He'll be marching in front of local dignitaries, fire departments, scout troops and two bagpipe bands, The Peconic Warpipes and Siol na h'Eireann. (That's Irish for "Seed of Ireland.") They'll be joined by the local chapter of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary with the local NJROTC providing the color guard.
"Southold and New Suffolk both have Fourth of July parades and this is something Cutchogue can call its own," Mr. Corso said. "This is small town America, which we treasure."
It's not too late to become a parade participant, he added. "If somebody shows up Saturday morning, we'll get them in the parade," Mr. Corso said. For information, call 734-5959.
The parade steps off at 2 p.m. at Cox Lane and ends by Cutchogue-New Suffolk Library at Cases Lane. Route 25 will be closed to traffic from 2 to 3 p.m.