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Hundreds jam Catskill’s Main Street for parade, tree lighting

By Susan Campriello

Hudson-Catskill Newspapers

CATSKILL — Hundreds of people who lined Main Street in Catskill Friday caught a glimpse of Santa Claus, the Grinch and Barack Obama during the second Annual Parade of Lights.

Members of local groups, including fire departments, churches and businesses, marched and rode floats in this year’s parade, almost double last year’s participation, said Pam Wright of the Catskill Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary and the parade’s organizer.

The crowd-pleasing floats included the Catskill Fire Department’s entry of a faux-burning house, elves busy at a workbench and two nativity scenes.

A likeness of President-Elect Barack Obama joined 10 members of the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Movement in the form of a life-sized cutout draped in an overcoat. Donna L. Davis, the group’s co-founder, said that the the two-dimensional Obama would be back for next year’s event.

Some of the youngest participants were six members of Girl School Brownie Troop 1795, who, along with a few even younger Daisy scouts, marched in personalized sweatshirts made specifically for the event. Elizabeth Liberti, a troop leader, said that the girls had a lot of fun.

Crowned only last month, Miss Greene County, Michelle Suttmeier, and Miss Greene County Teen, Brittany Smith, braved the cold in a silver convertible and met youngsters after the parade.

But it was Suntime Tanning Center’s beach-cabana-on-wheels that was deemed the best float overall.

Lynn Young, who owns the salon with her husband, Ronnie, said that last year’s parade came too close to the salon’s grand opening to coordinate participation. Planning for the overall wining float began immediately following that parade. Like at last year’s parade, many participants tossed and handed candy, but the Youngs’ staff showed their unique flair.

“We threw beach balls,” Lynn Young said, adding, “We ran out.

Other participants in the event included members of the Fortnightly Club, God’s Woman Ministries and the Catskill Community Center Bugle and Drum Corps, whose drum sticks were illuminated with green glow-sticks for the occasion.

Last to come up the street were Santa and Mrs. Claus, who arrived in a cloud of snow — fake this year. They were accompanied by the Centerville-Cedar Grove Fire Department. According to Santa, the North Pole was left in Rudolph’s capable hooves while the couple was visiting Catskill.

At the culmination of the parade, the crowd counted down to the moment when Donald Gibson, president and chief economic officer of the Bank of Greene County, lit the colored lights on a 25-foot evergreen next to the Greene County office building.

While the official count of spectators has not been tallied at this time, the crowd seems to have surpassed last year’s attendance of 1,000.

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