Going into its 49th year, holiday event guaranteed to draw another big crowd
FILE PHOTO/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
The OC Stars of Ocean City Elementary School perform last year during the 48th annual Berlin Christmas Parade.
By Rachel Ravina, Staff Writer
(Dec. 5, 2019) It’s that time of year again, which means more than 80 floats will travel down Main Street tonight (Thursday) during the 49th annual Berlin Christmas Parade. This year’s theme is “Magical Melodies: the Music of the Season.”
The parade will take place from 7- 9 p.m. along Main Street, starting at the Berlin Welcome Center on South Main Street, and ending at the Berlin Fire Company on North Main Street, according to event organizers.
Spectators who drive to town can find additional parking and a free shuttle to and from the event at Berlin Intermediate School, off Route 113.
Ivy Wells, Berlin’s community and economic development director, said parade-goers will often set up folding chairs along Main Street hours before the event starts in order to get a good spot.
“The parade doesn’t start until 7 [p.m.], but usually, the chairs start arriving around noon,” Wells said.
She said parade judges will score the bands and floats, with the latter in the children’s, fire company, commercial, and nonprofit categories.
Judging the parade this year will be Lou Taylor, superintendent of Worcester County Public Schools, Elaine Brady, assistant publisher for the Bayside Gazette and Ocean City Today newspapers, Steve Frene, former co-owner of Victorian Charm, longtime judge Bill Shockley, and James Tingle, a “local celebrity” and former mailman in Berlin.
Tingle, a first-time judge, said the panel will be “looking for dedication, accuracy, presentation and their theme for the [Berlin] Christmas Parade.”
Tingle has attended the Berlin Christmas Parade for the past three decades.
“The Town of Berlin looks forward to it … it’s just an exciting time for Berlin, period,” Tingle said. “It’s a kickoff for Christmas. It just gets the spirit just flowing even greater.”
Wells agreed, and said that the evening time slot helps make it so.
“It’s magical … it’s just a different feeling when it’s at night,” she said.
Additional details on the Berlin Christmas Parade” may be found on its Facebook page.