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.
“I have been to almost every parade and cannot believe how the time has flown,” said S-E Superintendent Gayle Hellert, who is responsible for organizing the judges. “Every year has been a fun and had good participation,” she added.
The marchers will arrive at the fire station around 1:30 p.m. to continue the holiday festivities. There, Santa will set up shop and listen to childrens’ wish lists to the sound of Christmas music preformed by the S-E Music Theory class.
“Some of the songs have been arranged by the students themselves and accommodate the individual instruments they play,” said high schooler Meaghan Weinell, who will be performing the alto saxophone along with her fellow students.
A feature of the firehouse celebration, which has gown into a time-honored and proud tradition, is the Teacher’s Association Book Give Away.
“We want to encourage our love of reading and support students in anyway we can,” said lead Book Give Away organizer and special education teacher at S-E Elementary Elizabeth Swistak.
Young children often have a difficult time buying Christmas gifts. The Book Give Away gives them an opportunity to pick out a gift for their loved ones with volunteers from the school on hand to wrap the gifts for kids.
Free hot chocolate, cookies, and juice are also provided by the Teacher’s Association and the Rotary Club.
“People have a good time and the parade will run rain or snow, unless they close the roads,” said Gunther. “Everybody gets into the spirit because it is for the kids and I am going to keep doing it for as long as I can.”