Holiday Parade Rings in Season in Bristol Township

Cold, Santa, but no snow as hundreds lined the streets throughout Bristol Township Saturday afternoon for the 2013 Holiday Parade.

Santa, first responders, cheerleaders, Wardogs, dancers, twirlers, Rep. Tina Davis, council members and all the dignitaries of  the community showed up for the procession on the coldest day since last winter ended parading up Haines Road and making a left on to Mill Creek Parkway.

Among the parade goers was one of the original Levittowners, Patricia Ventura, who settled in the area in 1952.

“Back then,” she said, “the parades were  mostly made up of  fire trucks, the rescue squad, and the high school band. This is something special” with Ventura waving to participants in the  procession from her lawn chair all bundled up with her daughter, Marybeth.

Joe Champy with his daughter “Sammy” and niece Morgan collected wish lists for Santa from children along the parade route.

Doing it for his fifth year  Champy said, “is real special especially to be able to do with my daughter. The kids waving the letters on the parade route” makes the holiday parade memorable and something to look forward to for years to come.

Officials say the parade is a preview to the Thanksgiving Day football game between Truman and Conwell-Egan Catholic High School. The game starts at 10 a.m. at Henry C. Morgan Stadium, Green Lane and Mill Creek Parkway, in the township.