Christmas tradition alive and well as parade marches through downtown Parkersburg
Santa and an elf-eared helper appear in their sleigh, pulled by a tiny Toys for Tots truck, to provide a happy ending for Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. Better be thinking about how to fill that thing up with toys, Santa. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Curry sisters both decided on reindeer headgear to wear to Saturday’s Christmas parade in Parkersburg. Maylee, 7, is in back and Meadow, 5, is carrying out the “Rudolph the Red-Nosed” theme in front. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Parkersburg South Patriot Band drum section provides Christmas bows along with the beat during the holiday parade downtown Saturday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Minnie Mouse waves “hi” to the kiddos while her elf assistant makes sure the star’s personal candy supply stays handy Saturday in the Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Parkersburg Fire Department’s Engine 4 wisely leaves the candy dispensing to an expert during Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Grinch’s popularity had him appearing with numerous units in the Parkersburg Christmas Parade, seemingly all at the same time. Very unsettling. In this case, he apparently came to catch the next Whoville Bus, driven by YMCA staff and following right behind him. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The old-timers would say these two, Gunner and Luna, are really putting on the dog. They had help from The Dashing Dog Mobile Spa, which accompanied them in Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
It would be hard to add a lot of extra Christmas red to these Parkersburg High School Big Red Marching Band uniforms. But the candy-cane striped drumsticks are a nice touch. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Williamstown High School Yellowjackets Marching Band members top off their uniforms with the Parkersburg Christmas Parade’s favorite type of hat Saturday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Boyd CAT Rental and Jimmie Harper Construction point out an obvious alternative for distributing all those Christmas gifts during Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Santa and an elf-eared helper appear in their sleigh, pulled by a tiny Toys for Tots truck, to provide a happy ending for Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. Better be thinking about how to fill that thing up with toys, Santa. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Curry sisters both decided on reindeer headgear to wear to Saturday’s Christmas parade in Parkersburg. Maylee, 7, is in back and Meadow, 5, is carrying out the “Rudolph the Red-Nosed” theme in front. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Parkersburg South Patriot Band drum section provides Christmas bows along with the beat during the holiday parade downtown Saturday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Minnie Mouse waves “hi” to the kiddos while her elf assistant makes sure the star’s personal candy supply stays handy Saturday in the Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Parkersburg Fire Department’s Engine 4 wisely leaves the candy dispensing to an expert during Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Grinch’s popularity had him appearing with numerous units in the Parkersburg Christmas Parade, seemingly all at the same time. Very unsettling. In this case, he apparently came to catch the next Whoville Bus, driven by YMCA staff and following right behind him. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The old-timers would say these two, Gunner and Luna, are really putting on the dog. They had help from The Dashing Dog Mobile Spa, which accompanied them in Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
It would be hard to add a lot of extra Christmas red to these Parkersburg High School Big Red Marching Band uniforms. But the candy-cane striped drumsticks are a nice touch. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
The Williamstown High School Yellowjackets Marching Band members top off their uniforms with the Parkersburg Christmas Parade’s favorite type of hat Saturday. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
Boyd CAT Rental and Jimmie Harper Construction point out an obvious alternative for distributing all those Christmas gifts during Saturday’s Parkersburg Christmas Parade. (Photo by Nancy Taylor)
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PARKERSBURG -- Parkersburg's annual Christmas parade Saturday afternoon had all the traditional trimmings.
On the parade side, there were flashing emergency services lights and loud horns, local marching bands, Shriners, twirlers, dressed-up dogs, political candidates, veterans, floats made by local businesses and community groups and a lot of appearances by The Grinch.
Oh, and candy. Lots of candy.
On the spectator side, there were babies being pulled in special wagons and pushed in strollers, lots of adults carrying collapsible chairs, lots of kids wearing reindeer antlers and carrying plastic bags for candy and more than a few little girls dressed up in their Christmassy best.
The bits of conversation on the sidelines tell the story, too:
* The St. Francis Xavier church bells ring twice -- for 2 o'clock -- and a child gets nervous. "Daddy, you can't be on your phone when it's startin'!"
* "We just came from the Vienna parade. They've already got so much candy it's almost scary."
* "Mom! They're coming!"
* "They're only going about five miles an hour. They won't be here for a couple of minutes."
* "Boy, he really got his truck all cleaned up for this, didn't he?"
* As the WTAP car passes, with its candy distributors busy on the street: "Don't you have to cover this, Jacob?"
* A look at the Mid-Ohio Valley Multicultural Festival's blue Firebird convertible: "I'd drive that."
* "Holy cow, the parade goes all the way down there. I can't see the end of it."
* "Was that a horn from a real train?"
* "When I was in the Big Red Band...."
* "Santa is only on the last float. That must be why the Grinch is so busy today."