Parade packs streets as Newtown rings in season
NEWTOWN - As holiday traditions go, it might not be up there with the 12 Days of Christmas and leaving cookies for Santa, but Liam Hannon and Raili Maroto think they’re on to something.
For as long as they can remember, they’ve kept the same perch for the Newtown Holiday Parade, which strutted down State and Sycamore streets for the eighth consecutive year Sunday.
“YRu FDn find ‘HP Ln WhH sDPH tree every year,” said Hulmeville’s Bill Laskin, Liam’s stepdad.
It’s that type of familiarity and community that has kept people coming back to what is now a parade that features more than 1,000 performers and makes navigating the parade route by foot a very tricky proposition.
“This brings the community together,” said Maureen Barrie of Newtown Borough. “It’s just so much fun.”
That’s all the parade’s attendees were looking for – fun. It was a day to enjoy marching bands, FhHHrOHDdHrs, WhH rRDr RI WhH firH engines and of course the season’s shining star, Santa Claus.
After an overcast and foggy morning, the sun came out around 2 S.P., Ds LI WR RIfiFLDOOy NLFN RII the parade. There’s no telling what the crowd might have been on an ugly afternoon, but State Street bulged to capacity Sunday.
“It’s something fun to do on a beautiful afternoon,” said Mary Ann Bobroski. “I love it. It’s a nice community feeling. Every- one is so friendly while they’re out and about.”
From the sights and sounds of it, the parade committee got what it was looking for: a nice community event that could showcase Newtown, some of its businesses and even more of its people.
According to Patti Lovi, who served on the parade committee and also represented the business, Dogs and Cats Rule in the parade, Sunday was the culmination of a lot of hard work by a lot of hard working people.
“We started planning this in the summer,” Lovi said. “About three months ago we started our weekly meetings. There’s a core group of us who have been involved for years, but each year we try to get more people out to help.”
Each truck, trailer and vehicle that passed by was stretched to the limits by waving, candy-throwing folks of all ages. The lone exception was a Philadelphia Eaglesthemed bus, which, save for the driver, was appropriately empty.
Three Morrisville boys, brothers Matt and Nick Jobes and Jack Coryell excitedly described what they were going to tell Santa as he passed by a top of Newtown FLrH AssRFLDWLRn firH WruFN. :hHn he eventually did, the boys managed a few inaudible screams and a bunch of waves.
“That’s ok,” said Coryell, “He already has my list.”
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