People brave cold for Winterfest
Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich Santa Claus rides at the tail end of the parade with Cub Scouts Pack 30 of Hick’s United Methodist Church during Winterfest in Hollidaysburg on Sunday. Despite nearly freezing temperatures, this year’s parade drew an impressive crowd that included families with children — some not even a year old — as well as older couples and dogs wearing coats.
Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich / Members of the Star-Lite Twirlers of Tyrone perform a routine near the Diamond on Allegheny Street during Hollidaysburg’s Winterfest Parade.
Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich Santa Claus rides at the tail end of the parade with Cub Scouts Pack 30 of Hick’s United Methodist Church during Winterfest in Hollidaysburg on Sunday. Despite nearly freezing temperatures, this year’s parade drew an impressive crowd that included families with children — some not even a year old — as well as older couples and dogs wearing coats.
Mirror photo by J.D. Cavrich / Members of the Star-Lite Twirlers of Tyrone perform a routine near the Diamond on Allegheny Street during Hollidaysburg’s Winterfest Parade.
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HOLLIDAYSBURG -- Candy and stuffed animals were thrown from parade floats Sunday and bounced off the ground; children threw themselves after the goodies, struggling under restrictive but warm winter coats to scoop them up.
Cold winds rustled red and yellow leaves on the trees that still had them, and some people planted themselves on the porches of Hollidaysburg's historic buildings along Allegheny Street to shield themselves from snow flurries as they watched the annual Winterfest parade.
"The parades here are always nice," said Lafayette London with Kara Gardner and her 3-year-old son, Jason, listening on.
And despite nearly freezing temperatures, this year's parade drew an impressive crowd that included families with children -- some not even a year old -- as well as older couples and dogs wearing coats.
"I think it's great that people turned out on such a nasty day. It's impressive," said Leroy
Duffey at the corner of Union and Allegheny streets, but he left the comfort of his home reluctantly at first.
"Let's go," Sandy Duffey, his wife, told him.
"But it's freezing," he said.
"I don't care. Let's go anyway," she said.
The Hollidaysburg Area School District marching bands played Christmas music, and troupes of twirlers danced between floats sponsored by charitable groups, businesses and civic organizations.
Charlie Burger wrapped his arms around his 3-year-old son, C.J., to warm him up, but it wasn't long until C.J. ran after a teddy bear tossed from a float.
"With all the action, it's helping keep the kids warm," Burger said with his daughter, Hadley, 5, and his wife, Erica, nearby.
The parade began at 2 p.m., winding down Union Street and filling the length of Allegheny Street in downtown Hollidaysburg.
"It's something to do on a Sunday afternoon instead of being inside," Maureen McManus said.
Her husband, Allen, held their Yorkie puppy, which also enjoyed getting out.
Jenna Smith, 20, watched at the corner of Allegheny and North Montgomery streets for her sister in one of the twirling groups.
"It's really nice actually," she said of the parade.