Saxonburg lights up with holiday parade
SAXONBURG — Hundreds lined Saxonburg's Main Street Friday night for the music, the holiday lights, and of course, Santa Claus, at the town's annual Light Up Night Parade celebration.
From Civil War re-enactors to bagpipes and camels, there was a group or a float for almost everyone.
More than 40 Cub Scouts from Pack 58 in Valencia marched in the parade with a float that included a tent and fake campfire.
Some of the boys recently completed a Wilderness Survival Weekend in 25 degree weather, so the float portrayed a realistic atmosphere, even with the fresh snow blanketing the area.
“Since we do a lot of camping and tenting, we decided to show what the Boy Scouts do,” said Jerry Kennihan, a den leader.
Andrew Ubinger, John Dunn, and Adam Kennihan, all 10, enjoyed their recent weekend and were excited to show off what they do with others.
“It sums up camping, basically,” Andrew said.
In another float, about a dozen His Kids School students dressed as wrapped presents, all wearing large bows on their heads.
Amy Warner, school board president, said the float showed many timeless gifts, including the children and Jesus.
Seven-year-old Zach Fife dressed up like a Rubik's cube.
“I have two at home and I finished this one,” he said,
Meanwhile, parade spectators also got in on the holiday fun.
Tammy Huston, with her husband, Dave, their three daughters, Alyssa, 15, Katie, 13, and Becca, 11, and Dave's grandmother, Julia, have attended the parade for many years.
“It's a nice, small town parade,” said Huston, of Sarver. “You don't have to beat the crowds like you do in Pittsburgh.”The group huddled together, sharing blankets to keep warm.She said they were also there for a little friendly school rivalry, since Knoch High School marching band was performing and her daughter is in the marching band at Freeport High.Down the sidewalk, Taylar Neff bounced her 2-year-old daughter, Chloe, in her arms. The youngster was wearing a pink snowsuit and green reindeer antlers.“Chloe likes music,” said Neff, as the Knoch band went by. “If she was down she'd probably be dancing.”Chloe's father Dylan Reutzel then grabbed a piece of candy thrown from one of the floats to give to her. The couple wore festive Santa hats that stretched a few feet down the back.Neff said she's gone to the parade every year for as long as she can remember.“It's a tradition,” she said. “After the parade, we always go to the library and get pictures with Santa.”Another tradition are the camels from Living Treasures Animal Park in New Castle. Staff members dressed like the three Wise Men. Children could feed or pet the animals after the parade.“They can take the extreme heat like the extreme cold” said Doug Blake, of Living Treasures. “The desert can get below zero.”
