While there was plenty of shivering, there were plenty more smiles on holiday floats that carried children along Main Street during Friday’s 10th annual Cruisin’ Into Christmas Parade in downtown Bradford.
The evening temperatures, which logged in at the mid-30s on the thermometer, didn’t deter hundreds of area residents from lining the street to yell greetings and scoop up candy thrown from floats.
“Merry Christmas to you all and God bless you,” yelled one woman at a float as it passed by her.
The parade, coordinated by the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce, had the support of CNB Bank which served as the signature sponsor.
Participants of the parade gathered with approximately 35 floats in the parking lots of the Best Western Plus Bradford Inn on South Davis Street and Advance Auto Parts on Elm Street. Several shared comments on why they participated in the event.
Bonnie Leposa and Linda Anderson of Bradford Alliance Church was watching over several little “angels” who waited patiently on their float before it pulled onto the street for the parade.
“We just want to share the story of the birth of Jesus and make sure we keep that in Christmas,” Leposa said, noting the children were dressed as “angels from the realm of glory.”
Anderson said the congregation had participated in the parade the past four or five years.
One of the angels, Elleina Smith, said “I’m pretty cold, but it’s still fun.”
A younger child on the float added, “I’m cold, too, and I want hot chocolate.”
At the School Street Elementary School float, designed like a gingerbread house to adhere to the parade theme “Candy Lane,” teacher Amanda Troisi said approximately 100 students participated in the parade. She said the float was made off the grounds of the school at guidance counselor Julie Speaker’s house.
Troisi said she enjoyed the community parade because the children looked forward to being in it and to dressing in holiday-themed outfits.
“The kids love it, so do we,” she added. “It’s a good way for them to be part of the community.”
Her son, Owen, was dressed like a piece of red and white peppermint candy and said he tried to help his mother as much as possible by keeping the other students in check.
“I get (the students) to follow the directions and tell them to stay back” from the road, Owen Troisi said with pride.
Brenda Laird, who was helping monitor a manger scene float with the Church of the Ascension, said it was the first year for the congregation to participate in the parade.
“The manger scene is adorable — they worked very hard on it,” Laird said of children from the church. “As I’m walking by (the line-up) the floats are terrific.”
Stacy Williams, a Sunday school teacher at Ascension, said the children had a lot of fun helping with the float.
“I hope to do it again because the kids really enjoy it,” Williams said while walking off to monitor the float.
Mother Stacey Fussell, pastor of Ascension, said she also would like to see the church continue its participation in the parade.
“It’s amazing how many different organizations have floats this year, it’s really neat,” Fussell said. “It seems like more than other years and it’s really good. It’s a fun way for our kids and everyone else to be part of the community.”
