Downtown decks the halls for Niagara Falls Santa Parade

He had competition from Alf, Elmo and even Darth Vader. But when it comes to crowdpleasers, Santa is still king.

Hundreds of people packed downtown Saturday to await the jolly headliner for the annual Niagara Falls Santa Claus Parade. When he finally showed up some two hours after the parade started, kids frantically tried grabbing his attention while parents tried grabbing a photo.

It?s a tradition Robyn Mantel has stuck to since she was a little girl. Now she brings her own kids ? and eight-month-old Chihuahua Essay ? to the event.

?He?s a little scared of all the other dogs,? she said. ?He?s fine once he?s in my sweater with me.?

?I moved to Niagara Falls when I was five and my parents started bringing me (to the parade). We lived just down the street.?

The parade, which has noticeably trimmed the fat in recent years, was packed with marching bands, musical floats and festive mascots. Local high schools jammed to Christmas tunes while Star Wars characters brought some force to the festivities.

The weather didn?t feel like Christmas ? some attended in shorts and t-shirts ? and the only dud seemed to be an Elmo float that sprung a leak.

As always, Westlane high school seemed to have the biggest presence with three huge floats and more than 200 students decked out in green and white.

Co-op and junior football coordinator Dean Mazzone says it?s a tradition the kids eagerly sign up for.

?I don?t know why it happens but the kids really get excited this time of year.?

Even the school?s non-Christian students get caught up in the parade. Though old-fashioned school rivalries may be the reason ? every year, the high schools keep on eye on who?s doing what different.

?We try to improve our own floats every single year,? says Mazzone. ?But if we see something other floats are doing really well, we?ll take your idea!?

The parade wrapped up at city hall around 1 p.m.

john.law@sunmedia.ca

?

?

Source: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2012/11/17/downtown-decks-the-halls-for-niagara-falls-santa-parade

madonna super bowl performance superbowl commercials best superbowl commercials madonna half time m.i.a super bowl coin toss madonna super bowl halftime