Boys and girls team up for this year’s Little League Opening Day parade on April 20

Opening Day will be a bigger event this year for Saugus Little League baseball and the Saugus Softball Little League. Players from the boys baseball teams and the girls softball teams will combine their festivities on the same day – Saturday, April 20 – starting off with the parade, which will begin at 9 a.m. from a staging area at the old Oaklandvale Elementary School at 266 Main St.

The parade route, which is new from the one used in recent years, will proceed west down Main Street to the newly renovated Elks Field adjacent to the Saugus-Everett Elks Lodge #642 at 413 Main St. Selectmen last week approved the parade route, contingent upon the Police and Fire Departments approving a safety and traffic plan for the day.

Work is continuing at Elks Field, which has undergone considerable work in recent weeks: a new infield, a fresh coat of paint around the park and some removal and pruning of trees and other work to get the field looking good and in playing shape for the 2024 season. There won’t be a food truck this year, as the Elks have donated 1,000 hot dogs, according to Craig Smith of the Saugus Little League. In addition to the Opening Day ceremonies, league officials are planning to have some entertainment, including a DJ, face-painting and a photo booth. League officials continue to work on more plans for the day, particularly the parade, which will have boys and girls marching together for the first time.

A rain-out date has been set for Sunday, April 21. Stay tuned for more details in next week’s Saugus Advocate.