(Nov. 24, 2016) With the coming of the holidays is the coming of the Christmas parades — every municipality in Worcester has one — and Pocomoke City takes its traditional lead role with its parade on Tuesday, starting at 7 p.m.
“It’s the kickoff of the parade season and of the holidays on Delmarva,” event organizer Mike Shannon said. “We’re putting our best foot forward.”
Doing so requires planning and organization, and starts before the first whistle sounds.
“Registration isn’t a first-come, first-served situation,” he said. “We put it together so it’s a very enjoyable parade from beginning to end.”
Registration ends Friday, and, after all the applications are in, Shannon said he will take a look at who is participating and start building the parade from there.
“It’s not just for kids, and you don’t want to have five fire companies back to back to back,” Shannon said.
So, Shannon will do a bit of organizing. A school band here, a local nonprofit there, all with the intent of making the free event as enjoyable as possible. All told, there should be more than 100 individual entrants into the parade.
“We put a lot of thought into the way we set it up for everyone to enjoy,” he said.
This line of thinking begins at the parade route, which is Market Street between 14th and the bridge.
“If you have a little one that needs to go to bed early, or you have to wake up early for work the next day, you want to set up close to 14th Street, because the parade will pass you first. If you’re not as concerned about that or want to be close to Santa Claus when he arrives downtown, then you want to be down by the bridge,” he said.
Shannon said organizers are making every attempt to have the jolly old elf downtown by 9:30 p.m. so children will be able to tell him their Christmas wishes.
Pocomoke’s Christmas parade is professionally judged, and cash prizes are available to most of the contestants. However, the local school bands and ROTC chapter are not eligible to win prize money, but they are judges to see how well they perform against other teams.
“For some of our local nonprofits and churches, it takes a lot to put together a float, so I’d like to make sure they get something back for the effort,” he said.
Shannon said after so many years of putting on a parade — Pocomoke’s began in 1972, he said — it’s become a science.
“There are six or seven of us putting on the parade, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without them — especially on parade day. I’d say 90 percent of the crew that started with me on the parade are still involved today,” Shannon said. “The support I have from them is unbelievable.”
In the event of inclement weather, the parade will be postponed until Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m.
“It’s the kickoff of the parade season and of the holidays on Delmarva,” event organizer Mike Shannon said. “We’re putting our best foot forward.”
Doing so requires planning and organization, and starts before the first whistle sounds.
“Registration isn’t a first-come, first-served situation,” he said. “We put it together so it’s a very enjoyable parade from beginning to end.”
Registration ends Friday, and, after all the applications are in, Shannon said he will take a look at who is participating and start building the parade from there.
“It’s not just for kids, and you don’t want to have five fire companies back to back to back,” Shannon said.
So, Shannon will do a bit of organizing. A school band here, a local nonprofit there, all with the intent of making the free event as enjoyable as possible. All told, there should be more than 100 individual entrants into the parade.
“We put a lot of thought into the way we set it up for everyone to enjoy,” he said.
This line of thinking begins at the parade route, which is Market Street between 14th and the bridge.
“If you have a little one that needs to go to bed early, or you have to wake up early for work the next day, you want to set up close to 14th Street, because the parade will pass you first. If you’re not as concerned about that or want to be close to Santa Claus when he arrives downtown, then you want to be down by the bridge,” he said.
Shannon said organizers are making every attempt to have the jolly old elf downtown by 9:30 p.m. so children will be able to tell him their Christmas wishes.
Pocomoke’s Christmas parade is professionally judged, and cash prizes are available to most of the contestants. However, the local school bands and ROTC chapter are not eligible to win prize money, but they are judges to see how well they perform against other teams.
“For some of our local nonprofits and churches, it takes a lot to put together a float, so I’d like to make sure they get something back for the effort,” he said.
Shannon said after so many years of putting on a parade — Pocomoke’s began in 1972, he said — it’s become a science.
“There are six or seven of us putting on the parade, and I wouldn’t be able to do it without them — especially on parade day. I’d say 90 percent of the crew that started with me on the parade are still involved today,” Shannon said. “The support I have from them is unbelievable.”
In the event of inclement weather, the parade will be postponed until Tuesday, Nov. 29, at 7 p.m.