Polebridge Merc will be open on July 4, but still doesn’t look like there will be an organized parade

The Polebridge Mercantile will be open for the July 4 weekend, owner Will Hammerquist said.

Initially the plan was to close the Merc for the holiday, but Hammerquist said the Merc will be open, with baked goods being sold outside.

“There will be extremely limited access,” to the store itself, he noted.

Having said that, the North Fork Landowners Association is not hosting a parade and many North Forkers have said they will not participate.

But if people want to have their own parade, they’re welcome to it, Hammerquist said.

However, there will be no portable toilets and no public trash.

“If people come we ask that they leave no trace,” he said.

Typically the short, but entertaining parade draws a couple thousand people each year. But this year, many North Forkers have decided against it due to concerns about coronavirus. Also, the master of ceremonies is apparently out of the country.

If folks do decide to come to Polebridge, Hammerquist urged people to “support local businesses by buying food and drink in Polebridge.”