Even Wicked Witch would like Holiday Light Parade

November 27, 2009 07:18 pm

— I’m not a big parade guy. I didn’t watch a minute of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade on TV and I don’t see myself tuning in to the Disney Christmas parade next month.
When the Tournament of Roses parade is on, I can’t help but think: “Man, get this thing over so we can watch the game.”
But I do enjoy the annual Hermitage Holiday Light Parade when my wife and I take our granddaughter Julia every year. Since she’s now 9 years old and I don’t figure we have many parade trips left before she moves on to more grown up things — like boys.
As every grandpa realizes, a granddaughter can make you do things you wouldn’t do for anyone else for any reason at any time. For example, Julia had me take her to Prime Outlets in Springfield Township recently to get a pair of boots. Believe me, I wouldn’t be caught anywhere near that place if it weren’t to please her. Shopping to me is like pushing sharp sticks under my fingernails and to go to the crowded outlet mall borders on insanity.
However, taking her to the Hermitage parade is a thrill and last Saturday’s event was as great as always. The parade organizers do a tremendous job and I’m always impressed by the work a lot of people put into their floats.
We are very lucky to have such a high-quality event that provides fun for adults and kids alike. I think the kids come away with more candy than they even get on Halloween. It’s like a dentist’s dream.
This year I witnessed the best float I’ve ever seen in a local parade. It was the “Wizard of Oz” float by American Cancer Society Relay for Life – Lori’s Angels.
If you didn’t see it: It was two huge Christmas trees which moved down the street. The driving mechanism was hidden inside, making it much better than those floats on the back of trucks.
But as the trees stopped, the song “Follow The Yellow Brick Road” began to play. The one tree opened and Dorothy, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion and the Scarecrow came out dancing.
A short time later a door at the top of the tree swung open and the Wicked Witch of the West appeared. Then they all went back inside the float, the tree closed up and the float moved on. It received tremendous applause from the parade-goers like I’ve never seen before.
The judges must have like it, too. It took first place in the nonprofit category and was named most unique float.
In my opinion, it was the greatest float ever. Kudos to those float builders.
I always thought that if I built a float — and I won’t — it would be the duplicate of the float that the frat brothers built in the movie “Animal House.” Man, that would be fun dressing like a pirate like John Belushi and riding that black tank-like float down the street.
But since I’m not that energetic, I’ll have to simply enjoy attending the Hermitage parade every year and admiring the work of others.
See you at next year’s parade and remember: “There’s no place like home ... there’s no place like home ... there’s no place like home.”

The Herald’s Lynn Saternow writes this weekly column for the Opinion page.

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