SHERBURNE – Sherburne will kick off its holiday season at 1 p.m. Saturday with the 21st Annual Holiday Parade. Sponsored by the Sherburne Rotary Club, the parade has evolved over the years with the support of community members and the Sherburne-Earlville school. Held during the daylight hours to better accommodate the attendance of children from all ages groups, the parade conducts itself in a family-friendly manner so everyone can have the best time possible.
Twelve groups have signed up so far to gather in Skip’s parking lot, courtesy of Jim Webb, and take part in the annual parade. “Participation is open to anyone,” said parade mastermind and Rotary Club member Valorie Gunther. Although the sign up deadline for the parade was Nov.17, there is always a group which shows up on parade day asking to take part, said Gunther. “We don’t turn anyone away. I am flexible, I mean you gotta be,” she said.
Years ago the name of the parade was changed, substituting the word Christmas for holiday, to capture better the inclusive spirit of the season. “Groups like the Girl Scouts aren’t really supposed to take part in religious-specific parades,” said Gunther. “But now anyone really can join and if someone wants to do something like a Hanukkah float, they can.”
Once the participants have readied themselves in Skip’s parking lot, the mobile spectacle will begin to make its way down North Main Street to its final destination at the fire station, around a half hour later, where the holiday celebration will continue to gain momentum.
Among the participating groups in the parade will be the Toys for Tots train, last seen in Norwich’s Parade of Lights. The wooden train, sponsored by The Label Gallery in Norwich, will be towing a couple of train cars, and will be collecting new, unwrapped toys along the parade route, before parking outside the fire station.
“We are hoping for support from the community,” said Gail Lawrence of The Label Gallery. “Even though times are tough, it’s always a wonderful feeling to give a little to others during the holiday season.”
Another notable feature of this year’s parade is the S-E Teacher’s Association which will be assuming the role of Grand Marshals, in honor of their annual contribution to the parade. The teachers plan to hand out bookmarks as they march and some of them may even catch a ride in an old 1937 Chevy Truck, courtesy of the Northeast Classic Car Museum.
Of course the real star of the parade will be Santa, who as in years past will ride in the parade atop an ornately decorated fire truck.
Marching groups will be judged from a platform provided by Matthew Lagoe. The judges award trophies for five different categories: largest group, most original group, best musical group, best all around theme/seasonal group, and best preforming group.
