Mayor’s Christmas Parade
By Thomas Kenney
The
33rd Annual Mayor’s Christmas Parade on December 4, 2006 in the neighborhoods
of Hampden and Medfield featured more than 120 organizations. Included were
antique cars from several clubs, antique fire engines, floats, Boumi Temple performers, equestrian units, Scout
troops, Baltimore's Marching Ravens, local TV and radio personalities, and, of
course, Santa Claus.
There
were 15 bands, including the Mummers String Band of Philadelphia, the Yankee
Rebels Drum and Bugle Corps and local high school
marching bands, all of which provided spirited parade and holiday music. Approximately
25,000 spectators lined the streets along
the 2-1/2 mile parade route, some of them in lawn chairs in front of their
homes.
During December Baltimore springs into a frenzy of
holiday events and festivities, many of which are located in the city’s
neighborhoods just like the Mayor’s Parade.
Sure Philadelphia has its famous Mummer’s Parade and Washington, DC has
their tree lighting ceremony
and Georgetown holiday decorated home
tours, but here
is a sampling of Charm
City’s unique holiday events - Night of 100
Elvises (it's all Elvis music and entertainment all night), B&O Museum
Holiday Festival of Trains, Lighting of Washington Monument Street Fair, Parade
of Lighted Boats, Mount Vernon Historic District Holly Tour, Merry Tuba Christmas
at Harborplace (200 tubas a-playing),
Lexington Market’s Holiday Fashion Extravaganza, Fells Point Old-Tyme Christmas, and the Christmas Street display of
lights including a tree made from hubcaps. In addition, there were the traditional Christmas theatrical and
musical events. Certainly, there was
something festive for everybody!
At the Mayor’s Parade starting point around Cold Spring Rd. at Falls Rd. there was the usual well-organized pre-parade lineup. The Weather cooperated nicely this year. After a couple of wet, cold days it dried out during the morning and it was typical crisp early December weather for the parade.
The parade had two grand marshals - Bob Turk of WJZ-TV and Maryland State Comptroller William Donald Schaefer. And, of course, Baltimore’s Mayor Martin O’Malley was in attendance. I didn’t bring a car to the parade because I thought that the registration
duties needed my full attention. But I got to watch the parade from the reviewing stand. It was fun to see the bands and marching units perform and to see all the antique and classic vehicles in action. I hope everyone in the Club had a great holiday season. I’m looking forward to 2006 being a fun year in the hobby.
Jim Synodinos 1947 Packard Tom Black 1967 Plymouth LAPD Cruiser
Jerry Ross 1954 Kaiser
Santa's Helper on motorscooter along parade route