From the Bel Air Christmas Celebration:
The Bel Air Christmas Parade is all set, with 7 local High School bands, scads of elves, performers and holiday celebrants, a terrific concert ahead of time and a hot-chocolate-and-cookies concert afterwards, ending with the official entry of YOU-KNOW-WHO (and Mrs. You-Know-Who) into Bel Air and the lighting of the Town Hall Christmas Tree — all on Sunday afternoon, December 7, 2014.
The parade begins at 3:30 pm at the Oyster House Restaurant on Main Street, proceeds to right on Lee Street, than to Hickory, where it ends. Prior to the parade the Route 66 Band will play a concert in front of the Courthouse, and afterwards the Bel Air Community Band will play from the Bandshell in Shamrock Park, where hot chocolate and cookies will be distributed free to all. A bonfire will also provide a festive glow to the proceedings, which end around 5 pm.
An honor and color guard contingent from Aberdeen Proving Ground will help the Town of Bel Air Commissioners lead off the parade, in memory of the 73rd anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day (December 7, 1941) and to help honor the men and women who over the years have fought for our country.
This year, the Parade Committee has worked on getting more COSTUMED CHARACTERS than ever into the parade! Booked to appear include such luminaries as Frosty the Snowman, the Grinch, a Minion or two, Super Mario, Princess Peach, Kung Fu Panda, Ferrous & Ripcord, The Bird, Chuck E. Cheese and Helen Henny, Mickey, Minnie, Pizza Slice Man, Princess Elsa and other Frozen characters, Batman, Cat-woman and stilt-walkers, unicyclists and elves galore! There’s even a living Christmas Tree, miniature horses, and possibly even a flyover!
Local high school marching bands from Bel Air High School, Patterson Mill High School, C. Milton Wright High School. John Carroll School, Fallston High School, Edgewood High School and Joppatowne High School will serenade the crowds down the route. Plus, loads of boy scout, cub scout, girl scout, brownie scout troops, dancers, twirlers, gymnasts and more, all costumed in the holiday spirit!
The Master of Ceremonies at the Reviewing Stand is local radio personality Tracy Hart; the Master of Ceremonies from the Band Shell is Harford County Councilman Jim McMahan. The judges of the parade units are all actual Circuit Court and District Court judges!
“The only thing that could stop us now is the weather,” says Mike Blum, now in his 6th year as Parade Chairman. “If the weather is really bad, and we have to cancel, we’ll post the announcement on all relevant web sites and broadcast it on WXCY-FM and WAMD-AM,” he adds.
IMPORTANT — all instructions have been sent via e-mail to every performing and participating group; if any group has NOT received these, that group should contact Mike Blum at michaelblum@martinoblum.com IMMEDIATELY!
The 25th Bel Air Christmas Parade is a joint production of the Town of Bel Air, Trish Heidenreich, Economic Development Director, and of the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, Christine McPherson, Executive Director.
Should have mentioned our WONDERFUL SPONSORS, without whom we could not mount this event:
Harford Mutual Insurance Co.
Corbin Fuel
Main Street Tower
Jones Junction
BCV Realty
Main Street Oyster House
Coffee Coffee
Klein’s ShopRite
Tiny Toes
Exploration Art School
HeartBeat
How about the Chick fil A cow? I hope there are plenty of fire trucks and new car dealers.
Wrong parade. Fire engines and new cars are in the 4th of July parade. The Christmas parade features strictly performance- and family-oriented holiday themed units, including marching bands, beauty queens, costumed characters, dancers, twirlers, scouts dressed as characters, elves and the like, etc. Weather permitting, it’s a wonderful, fun (and SHORT) event.
PS — afaik the Chick-Fil-A cow does not exist as an actual parade-capable “thing.” It has been many, many years since I’ve seen a two-person costumed character out here, and that’s what the COW would have to be. However, I’d love to have the Chick-Fil-A cow, if it were available (Eat Mor Chikin!) … we have pretty much everything else ….
It is a pleasure to be a part of this great celebration. This will be the 11th year that the Route 66 Band kicks off the parade. Thank you so much for having us!