Article & Photos by Jacqueline Bennett newsandviewsjb.com   A beloved New England tradition for more than half a century, sunny skies graced the 2017 Shad Derby Festival Green and Parade Saturday, May 20 in Windsor, Connecticut. Festival and parade-goers turned out in large numbers on this gorgeous day to enjoy what is a signature event of  Connecticut’s first town.   It started with a small – socially conscious – fishing derby in 1955. First held to clean up the Connecticut River and its banks in Windsor, which is situated at the confluence of the Connecticut and Farmington rivers and neighbors the state’s capital city. Over the years the Shad Derby has grown to become a highly anticipated spring ritual attracting thousands.   One…