Chestnut Hill Community Association board members march in last year’s Holiday Parade with students from Norwood-Fontbonne Academy.[/caption] by Sue Ann Rybak Oh, you better watch out because Santa …
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Chestnut Hill Community Association board members march in last year’s Holiday Parade with students from Norwood-Fontbonne Academy.[/caption] by Sue Ann Rybak
Oh, you better watch out because Santa Claus (A.K.A. Saint Nicholas) is coming to Chestnut Hill. Santa will make a special appearance in the fourth annual Chestnut Hill Holiday parade which will be held on Dec. 10 on Germantown Avenue.
The parade's organizer, Brien Tilley, said the parade will begin at 9 a.m. and run until approximately 10 a.m. Participants will begin marching at Chestnut Hill Avenue and continue down to the Market at the Fareway, 8229 Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill, where children can get their picture taken with Santa Claus.
He said it's a perfect opportunity for families to get their Christmas card photos done. Attendees can get their picture taken with Santa and an eye-catching ice sculpture created by world-renowned ice sculptor Peter Slavin, of Fear No Ice, after the parade.
“Just bring your iPhone or camera and you will have a beautiful photo for the holidays,” said the former Chestnut Hill Community Association president.
Tilley said this year's parade will feature many choir groups, bands, youth groups, schools and community organizations including Rumble, the University of the Arts' Bucket Briggade, The University of the Arts' New Orleans Jazz Ensemble, Penn Charter's Quakers Dozen, Jenks Academy of Arts and Sciences' choir, Chestnut Hill Youth Sports Club, Matt Paul Sports, Norwood-Fontbonne Academy, Germantown Academy, Our Mother of Consolation, St. Genevieve School, and several girl scouts and boy scouts of America troops.
A few crowd favorites returning to this year's parade are the Mounted Police Patrol Unit, the Venetian Club's comic brigade, the American Legion Color Guard, the Roxborough Ridge Runners Car Club and Stag & Doe and – everyone's favorite – The Philly Phanatic.
New to the parade this year is the Scene-N-Actions Productions Company known as SNAP Co. is a non-profit performing arts outreach program, based at the Finley Recreation Center, 7701 Mansfield Ave. in Mt. Airy.
“The parade is a great celebration of our community,” he said. “It's a great way to get in the holiday spirit. There is an energy about it. It's hard not to enjoy watching the kids parade down the avenue. It's great to see the joy and excitement on their faces.
“The schools and universities in our community support us tremendously. Our goal this year is to get more neighbors involved. If six families on Hartwell Lane want to create a float or walk together as a group, we encourage them to do so.
“We would like to encourage residents to come and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate while they cheer on the kids. The more people we have lining the avenue, the more exciting it will be for the participants. Let's make this the best year for attendance.”
Anyone interested in participating or helping with the parade can contact Tilley at info@chestnuthill.org.
Sue Ann Rybak can be reached at 215-248-8804 and sueann@chestnuthilllocal.com.
