The New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce together with the City of New Rochelle is thrilled to announce the 58th Annual Thanksgiving Parade kicking off Saturday, November 19, 2022, at 10am. The 2022 Parade route will be along North Avenue – beginning at Eastchester Road and ending at Bonnefoy Place.
This year’s parade theme “Celebrating a Century of Service” is a salute to the NR Chamber’s 100th Anniversary and its extensive history of service to New Rochelle.
The NR Chamber of Commerce is proud to also announce the Grand Marshalls for the 2022 Thanksgiving Parade are retiring City Manager Chuck Strome and recently retired former Commissioner of Parks & Recreation Bill Zimmermann. As their bios below indicate, both Grand Marshalls have dedicated many years to the City of New Rochelle, and they are the ideal choice to represent the Parade theme “Celebrating a Century of Service”.
“The New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade is a NR Chamber and City tradition. This year’s Parade honors the NR Chamber’s 100 years of service to the City. We’re thankful for all the NR Chamber members – past and present – who have worked to enhance the economic and business life of the City,” said Rob Hayes, President of the NR Chamber of Commerce and owner of The Beechmont Tavern. “And our Grand Marshalls, Chuck Strome and Bill Zimmermann, embody that spirit of service. We’re glad to honor them both in the Parade. Congratulations Chuck and Bill!”
The parade will feature floats and giant parade balloons including New Rochelle’s own iconic Mighty Mouse, Tom the Turkey and others. There will be marching bands playing throughout the parade, vintage cars and firetrucks, dancers, singers and marchers from Iona and Monroe Colleges, local schools, businesses and community organizations. And, of course, Santa will be there too!
Sponsors are still needed for the Thanksgiving Parade – especially for the Balloons, the NRHS Homecoming Float, and the Paw Patrol characters. Sponsorship opportunities are listed here.
The Thanksgiving Parade offers a “bucket-list” opportunity to hold a balloon in a parade. The NR Chamber needs many volunteers to make this year’s parade the most successful yet. Volunteers can register to hold a balloon or banner in the parade on our link with VolunteerNY.
The NR Chamber is still accepting applications to march in the Parade. Groups interested in marching should complete the application.
The NR Chamber is also pleased to announce the New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence’s Annual Pancake Breakfast is BACK! Enjoy a delicious breakfast served by New Rochelle's school and district administrators and teachers, just before the New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade! Starting at 8:00am in the House IV Cafeteria at New Rochelle High School, entrance at North and Braemar Avenues. $5.00 per person. The Breakfast is open to all and its fun to see the New Rochelle School District teachers and staff make your breakfast.
To stay on top of all the Parade updates visit the NR Chamber website page.
Charles B. "Chuck" Strome, III - Bio
On November 12, 2002, the City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Charles B. "Chuck" Strome, III as City Manager. Mr. Strome served as Acting City Manager since March 2002 and as Deputy City Manager since 1995. Prior to that, he served as Director of Emergency
Services from 1989 through 1992, and then became Assistant City Manager / City Coordinator.
Mr. Strome has a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communications from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia, and a Masters of Public Administration-Government from Pace University.
Before joining government, Mr. Strome held positions at Hudson Westchester Radio where he was News Director, Vice President, and Program Director.
Mr. Strome is a member of the International City Managers' Association, and former president of the New York State City / County Managers Association. He is also past President, Vice President, and Secretary of the Municipal Administrators Association of Metropolitan New York.
Mr. Strome is Chair of the Corporation for Local Development of the New Rochelle Industrial Development Agency, the Vice Chairman of the New Rochelle Corporation of Local Development, a member of the Executive Committee of the Westchester Municipal Officials Association, and the Co-Chair of the City School District’s District Wide Health and Safety Committee.
He has been the recipient of numerous awards from community organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, the Calabria Society, Boys’ and Girls’ Club of New Rochelle, New Rochelle Youth Bureau and New Rochelle Fund for Educational Excellence.
He has been a proud resident of New Rochelle for 28 years.
William V. Zimmermann - Bio
Bill Zimmermann, a native of Oceanside, New York, was appointed Commissioner of Parks and Recreation for the City of New Rochelle in March 2004, following his original appointment as Director in July 2000. Mr. Zimmermann has held several public sector managerial positions working seventeen years for the Town of Mamaroneck, serving as the Superintendent of Recreation. He also served five plus years as Superintendent of Parks and Recreation for the Village of Irvington-On-Hudson and for two years as an Assistant Facilities Manager for the Town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York.
Mr. Zimmermann received his undergraduate bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Cortland in 1976, preceded by an associate in applied science degree from SUNY @ Delhi Agricultural & Technical College in 1973.
He is well versed in municipal parks and recreation operations, currently serving as a faculty member of the National Director’s School accredited by the National Recreation and Parks Association and North Carolina State University and a distinguished member of the American Academy for Parks and Recreation Administration. He also serves as a professional delegate to the National Recreation and Park Association representing the Mid-Atlantic Regional Network and is the recipient of the prestigious Michael B. Berman Special Fellow Citation award. He is Past Chair and Regent Board Member for North Carolina State University’s Supervisor’s Management School. His commitment also includes service on the NRPA Board of Trustees, the APRS Board of Directors, Chairman of NRPA Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Council, Past-President of the New York State Recreation and Park Society, from which he received the associations highest award in April 2006 for Distinguished Service and as Past-President of the Westchester Recreation & Park Society.
Bill retired as Commissioner of the of Parks and Recreation Department in the spring of 2022 and served in an advisory role as a city consultant for the remainder of the calendar year.