Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Candy, Bands & Award Highlight Holiday Parade 2010



Story and photos by Lisa E. Crowley
The BrocktonPost
BROCKTON—Melissa Rodriguez with her one-year-old Chihuaha Guido watched, waved and cheered as thousands of musicians, students in costume and vehicles decorated in bright Christmas and holiday motifs passed by on Main Street for the 24th annual Greater Brockton Holiday Parade.
Rodriguez, 32, (Pictured above with Guido) said she has been going to the parade since she was a little girl, but it was Guido’s first and it was unclear if the dog was shivering from the 40-plus degree temperature or overwhelmed by the cacophony from all the bands, horns and sirens from the parade passing by.
Rodriguez tucked the dog into her coat to protect Guido from the cold and the noise.
“She’s not sure what’s going on,” Rodriguez said patting the puppy’s reindeer-antlered head.
Rodriguez said she wouldn’t miss the parade because she loves all of the bands, and enjoys watching all the kids, including her two nephews shout and chase the gifts many parade walkers threw to spectators.
“I love the excitement, the people—and my nephews, they love the candy,” Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez joined an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 who filled the city’s downtown area for the parade’s 24th year.
Thousands of marchers included the Brockton High School Marching Band and ROTC, Abington High School and Oliver Ames bands, local police and fire departments, dance schools, cheerleading and color guard squads, antique cars and Santa Claus on his sled.
Many youngsters were treated to candy being thrown from costumed adults and children on floats or handed to them by walkers along the route.
There were more than 100 organizations, schools and businesses who marched in the parade.
Raymond Gaston, who had his 3-year-old son Unique on his shoulders, (Pictured at right) said it was their first year at the parade and the whole family, including wife Sabine, and daughter Raena, 6, waited to see another child, 8th grader Nubia who was marching in the parade playing the flute with the West Junior High Band.
"This is really great," Raymond Gaston said. "There's a lot of people and bands. It's bigger than we thought," he said.
Along with the parade, a holiday craft bizarre was held at City Hall and included face painting and carolers from Brockton High’s chorus and choir and at the main branch of the public library children were treated to numerous activities. (Chorus-choir members pictured above Joey Vaccaro, 14, in foreground, and best friends, Kara Ward, 16, and Madison Howes, 17, sing at City Hall)
Crafters at the bizarre included Brockton High students Olivia Sundstrom, 17 and Tiffany DeMoura, 16, (Pictured above from left to right)
Following the parade, hundreds assembled outside City Hall for the first James Edgar Citizenship Award ceremony and annual tree lighting.
This year’s parade Grand Marshal was U.S. Senator Scott Brown who along with walking at the front of the parade with his wife and family presented the award to Dave Gorman, a Brockton resident who has volunteered for the city for more than 30 years, including the weekly road races for youngsters at D.W. Field Park during the summer and the upcoming Jingle Bell Run, a 2-mile run-walk for charity. (Pictured at top of page with Scott Brown and directly above)
Gorman, unaccustomed to the limelight, thanked everyone for the honor and gave a reminder about the Dec. 11 run.
“Just join my run Dec. 11,” Gorman said.

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