Saxonburg brings holidays home with annual parade
SAXONBURG — A gentle snowfall and cold winds served as the backdrop to Saxonburg’s parade and festivities that helped bring home the holidays on Friday, Nov. 28.
Festivities around the parade started near the South Butler Community Library as early as 5 p.m. while over 40 floats lined up for the parade. The community tree lit the patio as guests hung ornaments all over it.
At 5:30 p.m., Santa Claus stopped by for photos before heading to the parade. Vendors offered food, coffee and more while many of the businesses on Main Street kept their doors open and windows decorated during the evening.
Allison Condie, of Valencia, was eating pizza with her daughter Isabel under the glow of the tree. She said she is trying to be more active in the community, starting by attending events like this.
“We moved to the area about 10 years ago. I really hadn’t been active in the community until around the time she was born,” she said.
She said she became more active in part due to her and her daughter’s love for the South Butler Community Library.
“Her favorite thing is the library and the librarians. She loves the librarians,” Condie said. “I’ve lived in a lot of cities, big cities where we had super well funded libraries: Boston, Chicago. And this is just such a great library.”
While the parade had yet to start, she said she and her daughter were still both having a great time with the other festivities.
“We tried to meet Santa, but she was too shy. So she said one word to him, which was more than last year,” Condie said.
She said the event also served as a great way to connect with what Saxonburg and the surrounding area has to offer.
“We like the food trucks and being able to support local business,” she said.
Not far from the library, a table by Cabot Church gave out free cookies and hot chocolate. Roger Kennedy with the church called out to passersby to let them know what they were offering.
He said the church has been doing this during the parade for over 10 years, and he has participated most years. He said he loves the parade on its own, so he gets enjoyment out of that while still being able to give out hot chocolate.
“It’s nice to see all the people and give stuff away. I get to see so many smiling kids,” Kennedy said.
However, he said the cold — with wind chills in the mid-teens — was just a bit too much for him.
“I just wish it was a little warmer,” Kennedy said.
When the clock tower on the Saxonburg Memorial Church rang 7 p.m., the crowds gathered on the sides of Main Street to watch the line of decorated vehicles and designed floats.
Participants included local first responders and students of Knoch School District as well as businesses such as Sprankle’s Neighborhood Market. Candy poured from the passing vehicles as it was thrown to the children, who waved and cheered.
The parade once again gave attendees the opportunity to vote on their favorite parade float using a QR code on signs scattered around. Cash prizes were awarded to the groups with the top three floats.
The night ended with the opportunity to go back to the South Butler Community Library for cookies, hot chocolate and more time with Santa before he heads back to the North Pole.
