The Patchogue Lions Club will host their ever-popular Main Street Fourth of July parade in the Village of Patchogue. This year’s theme is “Honoring our past and inspiring our future,” in celebration of the country’s 250th anniversary.

Also, this year’s grand marshal was chosen as theLong Island Advance’s publisher, Terry Tuthill.

“I am beyond honored to be this year’s grand marshal of the Lions Club Fourth of July Parade, said Tuthill, noting that when he was told, he became “speechless.” “It has special meaning, being that our country is celebrating its 250th anniversary. I’m following many other local great past grand marshals, including our mayor Paul Pontieri and councilman Neil Foley.”

Patchogue Lions past president corresponding secretary, and coordinator of the parade, Peter J. Feehan, said Tuthill’s name kept coming up during their grand marshal selection process.

“Terry has been on my shortlist for a number of years. He was an easy choice when the committee sat down to discuss who would be this year’s Patchogue Lions Fourth of July Parade grand marshal,” said Feehan of the club’s choice. “Personally, I’ve known Terry since the mid-1990s when I ran the Patchogue Youth Athletic Association and saw immediately how he was very community minded. He was a tremendous supporter and always looked out for what was best for the children and the league. As the years went by and I became involved in more and more organizations and causes in Patchogue, I saw how Terry supported everyone and anything that reinforced a positive position of individuals, organizations, and the community. As a 30-year member of the Patchogue Lions, he’s always been an unwavering supporter of what we do.”

Tuthill is the owner and publisher of the oldest operating newspaper in Brookhaven Town, and the longest continually operated business in the Village of Patchogue. He has been a member of the Patchogue Chamber since the early ‘90s.

John “Terry” Tuthill IV, after graduating from Boston University and a three-year stint as an automobile salesman at Patchogue Ford, followed his grandfather’s and father’s path and joined TheAdvanceas an advertising sales account executive in June 1992.

In January 2005, Terry was named assistant publisher. Upon the death of John T. Tuthill III, Terry took over as publisher in 2018.

“You want to honor someone who may not be a high-profile leader, but who embodies the spirit of the community. And that is exactly what makes a Terry a compelling grand marshal,” said past president, treasurer, and parade fundraising chairman Tom Ferb. “He represents the very best of our community.”

The 78th celebration will take place on Saturday, July 4 at 10:30 a.m., starting at West Avenue and traveling east on Main Street to Rider Avenue. The reviewing stand will be set up at Capital One Bank Plaza, where they will announce the participants as they march past.

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