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Youngstown holiday parade to feature 60 units, 400 people
YOUNGSTOWN — More than 60 groups have signed up to be part of the Downtown Youngstown Holiday Parade.
Saturday’s parade — the first such parade in the city since the early 1990s — will include marching bands, dancers, floats, firetrucks, antique cars, politicians and businesspeople. More than 400 people will march or ride in it, said Lyndsey Hughes, downtown events director.
Both the Mooney and Ursuline high school football teams have been invited to march in the parade, said Hughes, although neither has yet confirmed. Both teams will play for state football champions in their respective divisions today.
The Lemon Grove Cafe at 122 W. Federal St., downtown, has created a float that will be pulled by a pickup truck. It will be anchored by a Christmas tree decorated with lemons, said Allisun Brenner, general manager of the cafe. Members of the Warren Junior Military Band will be on the float, playing Christmas songs, she said. Lemon Grove employees will march alongside, handing out coupons for specials at the cafe.
Other businesses will decorate vehicles for the parade, said Hughes.
The Oakland Center for the Arts, a theater company, will dress its marchers in costumes from past productions, according to Brooke Slanina, president.
Struthers Councilman Michael Patrick will enter an operable antique firetruck. Performing groups will include Polish Youngstown, Torrie Trella’s dance school and the Chaney High School choir.
Mayor Jay Williams and his wife, Sonja, will be the grand marshals, and WFMJ Channel 21 personality Madonna Chism Pinkard will be master of ceremonies. A Mr. Santa Claus will be a special guest.
Parade entrants will begin lining up at 1:30 p.m. on the corner of East Federal Street and Andrews Avenue.
The parade, which begins at 3 p.m., will travel westbound on East Federal Street toward Central Square, where it will turn south on Market Street. Parade vehicles and floats will park on Market Street, and the participants will then meet in Central Square for the annual Christmas tree-lighting ceremony, which will take place about 4:30 p.m.
dastolfo@vindy.com