South Glens Falls holiday parade set for Sunday
39th annual parade kicks-off at 1 p.m. in front of Carriage Traders
SOUTH GLENS FALLS, N.Y. >> The annual holiday parade will once again step off in South Glens Falls this weekend, on the Sunday before Thanksgiving.
The 39th annual The South Glens Falls Fire Company Holiday Parade will begin at 1 p.m on Sunday in front of Carriage Traders and travel north on State Route 9 for about one mile to The Peppermill. There will also be a bandstand set up across from Common Roots where announcing will take place.
The parade theme this year is Holiday Movies. “There’s a lot of good ones coming in, a lot of Christmas Story, Christmas Vacation, Charlie Brown Christmas,” said organizer Meg Quinn. “We get people who do these huge elaborate floats.”
Organizers felt the theme was broad enough and fun for the holidays. “Everybody has a favorite Christmas movie,” Quinn said. “Mine’s The Grinch, that’s just me.”
Trophies will be awarded for categories including Best Float, Best Musical Performance, and Best Decorated Emergency Vehicle.
A beloved local tradition, now nearly four decades old, this parade is in its second year presented by the South Glens Falls Fire Company.
In 2017, the event faced some uncertainty when a main sponsor was lost, but Quinn, the fire company’s auxiliary vice president, spearheaded the effort to save the local parade.
“I was born in raised in South Glens Falls, lived here my entire life and it was something I always remembered enjoying as a kid - and now I have two of my own and didn’t want them to miss out,” Quinn said on why the parade’s continuation is important to her.
This year, the fire company is continuing in its title role organizing the parade, with support from area sponsors.
The 2018 Grand Marshal is The Chronicle - represented by founder, editor, and publisher Mark Frost along with news editor Gordon Woodworth - for its longtime support of the parade as well as the South Glens Falls community.
With the upcoming parade, “We’re trying to really usher in the holiday season,” Quinn said.
“We’re making it as holly jolly as we possibly can.”
The parade, for Quinn and
for many in the community, is “the start of all things Christmas.”
She explained, “I know Thanksgiving is four days after, but that was it, that was the start of it. After that you had the turkey, and then after that, all of the radio stations started playing Christmas music, and that was the kick-off and I loved it. I absolutely loved it. And we’re hoping to make that for kids now.”
About 80 groups are signed up to march in Sunday’s parade, and a large crowd is anticipated, especially with the good weather predicted for Sunday afternoon, Quinn said. “It’s gonna be a big one.”
Attendees can expect to see both high school and professional bands, floats created by local students and businesses, costumed characters, community groups, marchers and of course, an appearance by special guest Santa Claus.
Also a charitable event, parade-goers are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to be donated to the Moreau Community Center or a new toy to be donated to the local Marine detachment’s Toys for Girls and Boys program.
Representatives from these organizations will walk along the parade route before it’s official start to collect these items.