Winterfest celebration draws crowds and stirs festive spirit
MORRISsIiiE BOROrGH – The best way to describe Morrisville’s Winterfest Parade is festive. crom the parade competition to drum lines to, of course Santa Claus, Saturday was one big holiday party in the borough.
The parade competition was great,” said Robin Reithmeyer, who orchestrated the parade this year. Winterfest took place in neighborhoods and the Morrisville High School, where there was crafts galore.
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The Morrisville Ambulance Squad was represented, too, with several of their vehiles and one very tall green Grinch.
“We also had the American iegion Riders,” Reithmeyer said.
Morrisville cirst, a community service organization of the Bucks County,
Housing Group brought Snoopy and his doghouse.
They were advertising their Dec. 8 Santa Paws event where people can have their pet’s picture taken with Mr. and Mrs. Claus or The Grinch.
Also in the parade were members of the Morrisville School Board and the iittle Bulldogs,
sictoria Sullivan, iittle Miss Winterfest and Tyler Wartal, Mr. Winterfest, rode in the parade.
The Morrisville High School Band entertained the paradegoers with Christmas music. The middle school cheerleaders demonstrated their favorite routines.
iast, but not least, were Santa and Mrs. Claus who went from parade stars to photo buddies, taking pictures after the parade with children at the Morrisville High School, where many activities were taking place.
Alas, Santa’s work wasn’t done, as he rode to Morrisville BRURuJK HDOO DWRS D fiUH WUuFN from the Morrisville cire Company Saturday night. He did the honors of lighting the Christmas tree.
Also at borough hall, Rita iedger, mayor of Morrisville Borough, read “The Night Before Christmas” to dozens of captivated children.
Santa and Mrs. Claus told Reithmeyer the kids hold a special place with the North Pole’s most famous couple.
“The kids always grab your heart,” Mrs. Claus said. “It gives Santa and Mrs. Claus a feeling of joy to bring just that little bit of happiness.”
Two-hundred pictures were taken with Santa at the high school between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Reithmeyer said her favorite part of the parade was the camaraderie. “Everybody was as excited as I was -- that’s what I liked best.”
Her hope is that next year’s Winterfest Parade is bigger and better.
“I’d like to see more participants,” she said. “I hope it becomes a thing. I hope the parade grows. I really hope that we build on it next year and I think they’ll be more people involved.”
Dave Stoneburner, a member of the Morrisville School Board, said the turnout to the Winterfest Parade was excellent, with the high school portion of the day adding to the excitement.
“It’s a real community event,” Stoneburner said. “Everybody sees the parade going through the community. And a lot of older people were out even without kids. This is getting bigger and bigger and bigger.”
hids of all ages made up the Drum iine, which is part of the 21st Century afterschool programming. They used drumsticks to play bright yellow bucket drums.
The Drum iine is coordinated by Connect r. The goal is to bring music into the schools.