NORTHFIELD — The 350th anniversary has been about celebrating and remembering all aspects of the town and its history that led up to this big milestone. Organizers kept that theme strong on Saturday with a two-hour parade.

“What this does is it creates a liveliness and atmosphere that speaks to what Northfield is,” said Selectboard Chair Alex Meisner. “Reconnecting Northfield is all about remembering the past, appreciating the present and looking forward to the future.”

The past, present and future were all represented in the parade that made its way down Main Street with 100 floats.

The past was showcased by people dressed in historic garb, representing a variety of time periods in the town’s history. This included Meisner, who was wearing a beaver top hat and a Harris tweed jacket.

The past was also represented through a variety of antique vehicles and tractors that promenaded down the street.

The present, meanwhile, was showcased by the local organizations that took part in the 1.5-mile-long parade route. These included first responders, Dickinson Memorial Library, politicians such as state Sen. Jo Comerford, D-Northampton, and state Rep. Susannah Whipps, I-Athol, farmers and the Shriners dressed as clowns — which 350th Anniversary Committee Chair Stacy Bond said was her favorite addition.

The future could be seen by way of the variety of children’s groups that marched along the street, showing pride in what they are learning and presenting a bright future. Dance teams, marching bands, 4-H clubs, Cub Scouts and more took part.

Also sharing excitement for what is to come was the Friends of Schell Bridge group, which constructed a model of what a replacement bridge could look like. The existing bridge has been closed since 1985, and the town has been working toward replacing it with a path for pedestrians and bicyclists. Town officials are continuing to push for funding to replace it, with the Selectboard sending a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in September seeking around $25 million for the project that would supplement another $25 million that the state Department of Transportation has already pledged.

Throughout the year, the Northfield 350th Anniversary Committee put on more than 40 events to celebrate the milestone. Bond said the parade weekend represents the bulk of the celebration, but there are still more events to come. Saturday’s festivities began with a makers market at 10 a.m. and concluded with fireworks at The Brewery at Four Star Farms that night.

“The whole 350th, we have tried to capture a little bit of every one of the aspects of Northfield,” said Joan Stoia, a member of the 350th Anniversary Committee. She explained the parade helps represent everyone by inviting participants to march down the street to be cheered on by their neighbors and friends. “All roads lead to Northfield,” she concluded.

Bella Levavi can be reached at 413-930-4579 or blevavi@recorder.com