Continuing tradition: 65th annual Middleboro Christmas Parade brings holiday cheer
Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to attendees from the top of a Middleboro Fire Department truck during the Middleboro Christmas Parade, Saturday, Nov. 29. Photos by Sam Tucker
Members of the the East Middleboro 4H Club walk festively-dressed dogs next to the club's float.
Girl Scouts of Middleboro Troop #64979 wave from their "Candyland" themed float. The float won first place for this year's parade entries.
A vintage automobile honks its horn as it follows the parade route. A handful of vintage car horns could be heard honking in the distance while the parade made its way through town.
Dancers of Pat Snow's Dance Academy twirl candy-canes.
Miniature horses walk alongside the Bradford Stables float, a Middleboro horse stable business.
A horse comes prepared with festive decorations.
A member of the Cobras football team holds a carrot in his mouth while riding the team's parade float.
Select Board Member Bill Pike hands out candy.
A larger-than-life gingerbread person rides on the Harper Lane Brewery float.
A construction vehicle holds presents while it leads a firetruck with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
A gingerbread decoration adorns an off road vehicle in the parade.
Players of the Mitchell Memorial Club youth football team cheer on the crowd.
Artificial snow brings a touch of Christmas weather to this float.
The Grinch gives two thumbs-up.
Parade-goers bring Santa hats to go with their Ghostbusters attire.
A small Grinch stuffed-animal is pinned to the back of a horse.
Santa and Mrs. Claus wave to attendees from the top of a Middleboro Fire Department truck during the Middleboro Christmas Parade, Saturday, Nov. 29. Photos by Sam Tucker
Members of the the East Middleboro 4H Club walk festively-dressed dogs next to the club's float.
Girl Scouts of Middleboro Troop #64979 wave from their "Candyland" themed float. The float won first place for this year's parade entries.
A vintage automobile honks its horn as it follows the parade route. A handful of vintage car horns could be heard honking in the distance while the parade made its way through town.
Dancers of Pat Snow's Dance Academy twirl candy-canes.
Miniature horses walk alongside the Bradford Stables float, a Middleboro horse stable business.
A horse comes prepared with festive decorations.
A member of the Cobras football team holds a carrot in his mouth while riding the team's parade float.
Select Board Member Bill Pike hands out candy.
A larger-than-life gingerbread person rides on the Harper Lane Brewery float.
A construction vehicle holds presents while it leads a firetruck with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
A gingerbread decoration adorns an off road vehicle in the parade.
Players of the Mitchell Memorial Club youth football team cheer on the crowd.
Artificial snow brings a touch of Christmas weather to this float.
The Grinch gives two thumbs-up.
Parade-goers bring Santa hats to go with their Ghostbusters attire.
A small Grinch stuffed-animal is pinned to the back of a horse.
MIDDLEBORO — Christmas spirit rang through Middleboro as the annual Christmas Parade made its festive return Saturday.
From antique automobiles to merrily-decorated miniature horses, the parade included a slew of Middleboro businesses, school groups and more on its route through the downtown area. In the parade’s 65th year, residents came out to celebrate the longtime tradition.
Kailyn Dill, a Middleboro resident, said she’s been coming to the parade since her childhood. She said it's a “full circle” experience bringing her two young sons to the parade she once marched in as a dancer when she was growing up.
“I've been coming to the parade since I was a little kid, and now we have these two boys. When I was a kid I was in it for dancing, and now they get to go watch it,” Dill said. “It's a lot more fun watching it from their eyes.”
For her son, Levi, his favorite part of the parade was getting the candy, he said with a smile.
The Christmas candy was a common favorite for many young attendees watching the parade on Saturday.
Katy Ladd, a Middleboro resident, came to the parade with her family members Ronan, 9, Stallon, 5, and Mackenzie, 6.
“Seeing my friend and seeing my cousin in the parade,” was Ronan’s highlight of the afternoon, he said.
Although they said seeing friendly faces was a “cool” part of the parade — Ronan, Stallon and Mackenzie all agreed the Christmas candy was their favorite amenity of the parade.
During Saturday’s forecast of clear skies and brisk weather, families bundled up on sidewalks and awaited the various parade floats that made their way through town.
The East Middleboro 4H Club float had a couple of fuzzy-passengers on their float with rabbits and a small goat. Area horse stables brought many horses — some decorated with Christmas bells and wreaths — that trotted by cheering families.
The Middleboro Girl Scout Troop #64979 won first place for the best float entry in this year’s parade with their “Candyland” float.
Members of the Middleboro Select Board and State Representatives Norman Orrall and Kelly Dooner also handed out candy during the parade.
To wrap up Saturday's “floating” festivities, Santa and Mrs. Claus waved to attendees as they rode atop a Middleboro Fire Department truck.
Lakeville resident Venize Mason attended the parade with her family, but said she would come and see the parade’s various floats, animals and festive cheer all by herself if she had to.
“I like seeing everything. I just love parades,” she said. “I don’t miss it, I come back every year. It’s just Christmas fun — it gets you in the festive mood.”
