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2016 Mum Festival Parade Gets Huskier

August 31, 2016

A new school year is underway and football season is close to kicking off. But with all these signs of fall around the corner, the season cannot commence without the announcement of this year’s 2016 Mum Festival Parade Marshal.

Without further ado, drum roll please…

This years Mum Fest Parade will be led by world famous Jonathan The Husky, the excitable mascot of the University of Connecticut! Jonathan will be cruising down the streets of downtown Bristol on the fourth day of an action-packed Mum Fest weekend, when on September 25th he will marshal his first ever parade which starts at 1:30 pm.

But that’s not all. Jonathan will also be followed by 150 of his closest friends as the renowned UCONN marching band will perform to the delight of audiences! On top of that they will be joined by UCONN’s Cheerleaders, UCONN Dance Team, as well as cultural fusion dance team “Surya”, who will show off their moves from styles such as Bollywood, Bhangra, Classical, Raas, Lyrical, Hip Hop and much more!

“We’re thrilled to welcome Jonathan, the UCONN marching band, UCONN cheerleaders, UCONN Dance Team, and Surya to Bristol to lead off the 2016 Mum Festival Parade,” said Jack Ferraro, Mum Squad Captain and Parade Chair. “Jonathan’s known all over the planet for his energy promoting antics and will definitely pump up the crowds and put smiles on children’s faces! We can’t wait, so get your spot early!”

The husky dog was chosen as the school’s mascot in 1934 through a survey held in the student paper, The Connecticut Campus. Following the survey another contest was held to name the mascot, when the husky was eventually named after Connecticut’s Revolutionary War era governor, Jonathan Trumbull. Steeped in history and having led the charge for numerous NCAA championship teams, Jonathan is now ready to take Mum Fest to championship levels!

“We’re excited that Jonathan has been invited to participate in and lead the annual Mum Parade in Bristol,” said Joseph Briody, UCONN Associate Director, Involvement and Leadership Programs. “As most folks know, Jonathan receives hundreds of requests each year to be part of different community events throughout the state and the country. Autumn is a very exciting and busy time for Jonathan with students returning to campus, Husky Football revving up, and now Bristol’s Mum Festival – a perfect Fall event for the community! Jonathan is looking forward to the pageantry, celebration, and being able to spend a nice Fall afternoon with everyone in the Bristol community.”

When reached for comment Jonathan responded with fist pumps, tail wags, and smiles.

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For more information on the 2016 Mum Festival & Parade please visit: www.bristolmumfestival.com or bristolallheart.com for more details