by Kristina Gabalski
It’s hard to improve on spectacular, but organizers of the Holiday of Lights Parade in Brockport have found a way.
The second annual event is set for Sunday, December 2 at 5 p.m. on Main Street in Brockport’s downtown business district. To build on the sparkle and spectacle, a fireworks display has been added as the grande finale of the event, organizer and Brockport Stetson Club President Brian Winant says.
“We’ll have lights on the ground and lights in the air,” he explains and adds that the fireworks display is being made possible by Duane Beckett of Sunnking in Brockport.
“We’re excited about it, I hope everybody is,” Winant continues. “The Brockport Choir will be performing at Nativity Church. Families can come and spend the day in Brockport and shop, eat and enjoy the parade.”
The inaugural event last year was a boost for downtown merchants, particularly since they were working to recover following a lengthy road construction project. “The time leading up to the parade and after was their best shopping period,” Winant says merchants have told him. He says downtown restaurants also saw increased traffic during parade day last year.
Brockport Village Trustee Carol Hannan serves as village board liaison to the Brockport Merchants Association. She concurs that the parade is very beneficial to local businesses.
“The economic development aspect is wonderful,” Hannan notes. “It benefits the whole village (when downtown merchants do well). Anything we can do to help village merchants has a huge value to taxpayers. We need to make Brockport a destination. We need to bring people downtown and hopefully they will come back.”
Again this year, the parade will be videotaped and a DVD produced for residents at the Beikirch Care Center, Brian Winant says.
He adds there is still plenty of time to sign up to participate in the parade by calling 585-391-3155 or emailing thestetsonclub@yahoo.com.
“The more participants the better,” he says, and because sponsorship of the event has increased, $450 in prize money is available.
The only restrictions for participants are that there is only one Mr. and Mrs. Claus – which organizers already have – and that some kind of holiday lights are part of the entry.
Jeremy Newman from WBEE and Stacey Pensgen from WROC TV 8 will emcee again this year. Participants will be judged in four categories: Best in Parade, Most Creative, Best Non-Profit and Santa’s Pick.
The annual village tree lighting will be held immediately after the parade and holiday events are also taking place that day at the Morgan Manning House, Winant says.
“We’re excited after last year,” he notes. “We’re looking forward to a great turnout for participants and spectators. We’ll see you at the parade!”
