Dover parade officially opens the Christams season

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • December 4, 2011
  • 285
                        
Summary: Warmer than usual temperatures made Saturday, Dec 3 a perfect evening for the annual Dover Christmas Parade held downtown. The well-attended event featured colorful floats decked out with lights and smiling faces. The Dover Marching Tornadoes had toes tapping while residents enjoyed complimentary hot chocolate from the Dover Lion’s Club and the First Moravian Church. Mild temperatures brought a huge crowd to the annual downtown Dover Christmas parade and lighting ceremony held Saturday, Dec. 3 on the square. Lining Crater Ave., Third St. and Wooster Ave. children and their families stood three deep in places anxious to see the colorful, lighted floats put together by area businesses and community organizations. Bleachers were in place on the square for those arriving early enough to get a seat and many came prepared with blankets to keep warm. Serving as master of ceremonies for the event was Gary Petricola who announced parade participants and other helpful information. Bud and Rosemary Wills provided coffee and hot chocolate from the Dover Lion’s Club trailer. “We’re so happy to come out and see everyone,” said Rosemary. “And it’s nice that it’s not so cold this evening.” The couple have been married 60 years and served as Grand Marshalls in the Dover Halloween parade in October. First Moravian Church at Dover had more than 50 volunteers at the parade with some marching and others handing out hot chocolate, candy and invitations to their Christmas Eve services. Donations were accepted with proceeds going to the Greater Dover-New Philadelphia Food Bank. The event kicked off with a lighting ceremony with each quadrant of the downtown square festooned for the season. Mayor Richard Homrighausen read Twas the Night Before Christmas, the 1823 classic that has become a Dover tradition. Parade participants distributed candy that children and some adults were eager to collect. Todd T. Taylor, former disc jockey and singer of the classics wowed the crowd with upbeat Christmas songs like Jingle Bell Rock as he travelled by float through the parade route. “We come to the parade every year,” said Andrea Malcuit of Strasburg. “I remember last year how cold it was and the year before that it snowed. We’ve had a great time tonight and now we are going to Mary Zifer’s for pizza.” Malcuit was enjoying the parade with her husband Mark and their children Henry and Elizabeth. The Dover Marching Tornadoes added energy and enthusiasm as the parade neared its end with their customary strong percussive beat resonating in the night air. Under the direction of band director Micah Carrick, the musicians marched passed the official end of the route and continued west on Second St. and then north on Walnut stopping briefly to show off a few dance moves as they approached Third St. Luminaries lit the path that leads to Santa’s house on the southeast quadrant of the square. Santa arrived by float to greet anxious children already in line to share their Christmas wishes with the jolly man dressed in red. Dover city service director Dave Douglas and city building and zoning codes administrator Jeff Beitzel were at the ready to assist Santa in making safely down from the float. Santa will be accepting visitors throughout the holiday season on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 and Saturdays and Sundays from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8. Photos will be taken at those times for no charge and can be picked up at the mayor’s office.


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