Wintertime cheer abounds at Greensburg holiday parade

The crowd was in good spirits in downtown Greensburg on Saturday evening as the annual Holiday Parade filled Main Street with a festive crowd.

The parade had its start time moved back to 4:30 p.m. this year to encourage participants to include holiday lights in their entries, taking advantage of the earlier sunset for a twinkling, colorful display.

Some 86 groups marched down Main Street, played music, tossed candy and celebrated the holiday spirit to a packed assemblage of locals and visitors. There were parade newcomers, like the SEIU Local 668 and SEIU Healthcare PA float, to the perennial Grinch float assembled by Mutual Aid EMS.

“It’s a family event,” said Joshua Miller of Monroeville, who brought his daughter, Brinley. He attends every year, though the later start time is a difference.

“I’d rather something earlier in the day,” he said, “but it doesn’t matter.”

For Greensburg resident Carrie Hamley, this year marks the second year attending the parade. She and her family live nearby. Her kids, Andrew, Carolina and Catalina, brought their own bags, eager to catch some holiday candy.

“This is our community,” Hamley said. “We love Greensburg, and we love any opportunity we have to gather with the community.”

Holiday honor

For sisters Vickie Rowe and Barbara Vernail, who served as parade grand marshals, this event has a personal meaning. Their mother, Jean Rowe — who had appeared as the parade’s Mrs. Claus for 33 years — died earlier this year at 95 years old.

The two kicked off this year’s parade festivities in her honor. Vickie wore part of her mother’s Mrs. Claus costume.

“She was known as Mrs. Claus — wherever you’d go, it’s Mrs. Claus,” Vernail said, adding that Jean Rowe used to visit with local schoolkids to read stories. “She truly fulfilled the Mrs. Claus (image) and put the true spirit of Christmas (into it.)”