NEWS INFORMATION FROM |
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THE OFFICE OF MAYOR STEPHEN R. REED |
FOR IMMEDIATE USE |
CITY HOLIDAY PARADE KICKS-OFF THE REGION’S HOLIDAY SEASON – SATURDAY NOVEMBER 18 AT 10:00 A.M.Mayor Stephen R. Reed today invited residents and visitors from throughout the midstate to the City of Harrisburg’s 2006 Holiday Parade, set to begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 18, 2006, in downtown. The popular annual holiday tradition kicks-off the Hanukkah-Christmas-Kwanzaa-New Year’s Eve Season for the Greater Harrisburg Region and is one of the largest of any holiday parades in the region throughout the year. Harrisburg’s Holiday Parade was begun by the Mayor in 1986 and has since grown to become the region’s largest annual parade. Over $7,500 in appearance monies and cash prizes are awarded to the top 3 entries in 5 categories of parade competition. The City-sponsored parade is also a sanctioned competition of the Cavalcade of Bands, which produces judged competitions for high school marching bands across the United States. Reed said this year’s Holiday Parade theme is “What the Holidays Mean to Me”, and features over 2,500 marchers in over a hundred parade units, including giant helium-filled balloons, marching units, over a dozen marching bands, and scores of floats, fire trucks and other specialty units. The Parade also marks the first official appearance of Santa Claus in the region. The 2006 Harrisburg Holiday Parade again features a Military and Veterans Division, first begun by the Mayor last year, in honor of both past and present men and women in America’s Armed Forces. With Veteran’s Day only one week earlier, the Holiday Parade serves as the perfect opportunity to recognize present military personnel and veterans for their selfless sacrifice and dedication to America’s freedom. The Division will be the lead unit in the Parade and is comprised of current active duty military personnel, reserve and Guard units, as well as veterans’ groups and a military band. Troops recently returned from Iraq and Afghanistan will be amongst those marching. Reed said the Parade will begin with the National Anthem sung by Kathleen Torchia and Lynn Panattoni, followed by a fly-over of four A-10 Warthog jets. Highlighting the Military Division will be the U.S. Marine Corps Color Guard, 100 uniformed PA National Guard Iraq veterans, military vehicles, the PA National Guard’s 28th Infantry Division Band, units from the Capital Chapter Vietnam Veterans of America #542. The Division will be led by Holiday Parade Grand Marshall Michael J. Novosel, Jr., son of Medal of Honor recipient Michael J. Novosel, a Pennsylvania native who died earlier this year. The Mayor said WHTM ABC-27 will once again emcee the Parade live and tape-delay broadcast it across the midstate on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 23, beginning at 10:00 a.m. The Harrisburg Holiday Parade is the only midstate parade, and with the Philadelphia Mummers Parade, one of only two parades in the state that have gained televised status, thus allowing those unable to attend in person to still enjoy the high quality holiday entertainment production. Parade entries and floats will be judged for prizes based on originality and adherence to parade theme. Prizes will be awarded by Mayor Reed in the atrium of Strawberry Square at 1 :00 p.m. Joining the city as co-sponsors for the 2006 Harrisburg Holiday Parade are Belco Community Credit Union, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Capital Region, Bon-Ton Department Stores, Citizens Bank, Clear Channel Radio, Coca Cola Bottling Company, Comcast Cable, Enterprise Rent A Car, FastSigns, Harrisburg Senators Baseball Club, The Hershey Company, Hilton Harrisburg Hotel and Towers, Nextel Partners, NittanySavings.com, the Patriot News Company, Saturn of Harrisburg, Strawberry Square, Sovereign Bank, Sundance Vacations, Sun Motor Cars, The Patriot News, PSECU, Remax Realty and WHTM ABC-27. The Mayor noted that the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District has donated 100 new lighted holiday lamp pole decorations, which are being installed throughout the downtown area and replace the older decorations the city has used the past several years. Also of special interest is a food drive being conducted by the national Promise Keepers organization, for which the midstate is serving as host region for their national convention in September of 2007. Members of the faith-based organization will accompany a float in the parade with shopping carts to collect donated packaged cans, boxes and other non-perishable food items for local food banks. All parade attendees are encouraged to bring foodstuffs for donation during the parade. Reed said the Holiday Parade will form on City Island and proceed east to Market Square, where the judges and broadcasting review stands are located. The Parade then travels north on N. 2nd Street to North Street, turns west on North Street to Front Street, and then south on Front Street to the Market Street Bridge, where it turns west back to City Island and disbands. The Mayor said on-street parking is free for the day except on Parade route streets, where parking is banned until after the parade and clean-up work are concluded. Parking will not be available on City Island as it is used for Parade formation. Parking will be free at the Market Square Garage(2nd & Chestnut Streets). Parking will also be available in the Walnut Street, Chestnut Street and River Street Garages at regular rates. Learn more about downtown parking by visiting www.harrisburgparking.org. Reed encouraged parade attendees to make a full day of it downtown, starting with the Holiday Parade, a visit to Strawberry Square or any of the other downtown eateries and then a stop at the Whitaker Center for the Science Center or an IMAX film, or visit the State or National Civil War Museums. Area motorists are advised that parade route street closures will begin at 7:00 a.m. and run through 1:00 p.m. Affected roadways include all lanes of the Market Street Bridge, the north and south parking lots on City Island, N. Front Street from Forster to Market Street, Market Street from Front to 2nd Street, N. 2nd Street from Chestnut to North Street, and North Street from N. 2nd Street to N. Front Street. Motorists and especially parkers are warned that parking is prohibited after 7:00 a.m. along any of the parade route streets, with violators not only ticketed, but also towed. |
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