NORWICH – The 18th annual Christmas to Remember Parade of Lights will once again usher in the holiday season with radiant flair and festive cheer. As a time-honored tradition, the Nov. 24th parade has delighted Chenango County’s denizens for generations.
“This is an event that our entire community should be proud of – it has brought happiness to our community year after year,” said Norwich Fire Chief Tracy Chawgo.
“Last year, everyone told me the parade was great, but I was so busy coordinating it I hardly got to see it!” said parade coordinator Mike McCormack of the Norwich Pennysaver. This will be McCormack’s second year coordinating the parade after The Evening Sun’s Linda Green stepped down as lead organizer in 2010.
When Green passed on her crown as Parade of Lights head honcho, she said, “For my 16 years coordinating the parade, I have seen the parade bring smiles to children of all ages.” Bring smiles and cheer to Chenangoites of all ages is still the paramount objective of the non-profit event, held the Saturday after Thanksgiving, designed to get people revved up for the holiday season.
Before the dust had even settled from the 17th Parade of Lights, organizers began work on the 18th. Since then, they have worked tirelessly to make this year’s event even bigger and better than the last. In order for the parade to be considered a special event and also to secure permission to use the streets, coordinators had to have the paperwork in as early as February.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is just how many people are involved in making the parade happen,” said McCormack. Another reason why preparation for the parade needs to begin so early is because getting everyone involved can be a arduous task. Right now it is the off-season for marching bands – field band ends in October and the Parade Band season will not begin until April – making it difficult to get marching bands committed to the event. “We are really hoping to get a few more bands in the mix ... I have been trying to get a hold of the band director at Colgate,” said McCormack.
The Parade of Lights is made possible by generous donations and support of the community. “The parade would never happen without the help of local businesses and individuals who volunteer and make donations,” said McCormack. The funds that are raised for the parade are used to hire the bands and firefighters, as will as purchase prizes and free giveaways for spectators.
For the past five years, the average turnout for the parade has ranged from 4,000 to 5,000. Last year’s parade sported 35 floats, seven cars, seven fire trucks, two trucks, two bands, two entertainers, and eight organizations – making it one of the largest Parade of Lights to date.
Rising star Kaitlyn Jackson will be singing again this year during the parade’s pre-entertainment show, commencing at 5:30 in downtown Norwich. The parade itself begins as usual 6:30 p.m. on Division Street, and winds its way down Broad Street, ending at Howard Johnson’s. After the parade, festivities will continue with a performance by the Norwich Theater Company of “The Night Before Christmas” on the East Park stage.
For volunteer information or to make a donation, email mmccormack@pennysaveronline.com, or see the ads running in The Evening Sun and Pennysaver.