A cloudy forecast could not dim the cheery mood downtown as the 37th annual Blade Holiday Parade took place Saturday morning.
In conjunction with the Distinguished Clown Corps, the parade featured high school marching bands, color guards, giant balloons, mascots, dance teams, and the guest of honor, Santa Claus.
The parade began at the intersection of Summit and Jefferson streets at 10 a.m. with sizable crowds gathered on both sides of Summit.
Heather Pacheco, the associate director of events for The Blade and organizer of the parade, said this year stood out because of “the overwhelming response of participants who wanted to be involved, and the attendance of the people who came out today.”
There were more than 90 separate groups and floats involved in this year’s parade, and even with an overcast sky, the temperatures were mild, drawing thousands. “We were probably 10 to 20 units above normal,” Ms. Pacheco said in terms of participants, adding that the turnout was above average.