It was a picture-perfect December day, and the ideal weather, plus more than 100 entries, drew huge crowds to downtown Safety Harbor for the city’s 35th annual holiday parade on Saturday.
The two-hour long event was packed with participants this year, including nonprofit organizations and veterans groups, boys and girls clubs and local businesses. Super heroes and ballerinas, monster trucks and, of course, Santa aboard a shiny red “sleigh” were also part of the procession.
Participating in the parade again this year were Oldsmar officials, including Mayor Doug Bevis and City Council members Dan Saracki and Linda Norris.
After marching down Main Street atop their cool parade vehicles, the mayor and Council member Saracki spoke to Oldsmar Connect about the experience.
“It’s always great to be invited to each other’s parades,” Mayor Bevis said. “I think our communities are very similar and the residents of both come out to support both communities.”
“I think the families that attend like to see that the two cities participate together and support each other’s community events.”
Saracki, who is running for a second term in March, said via email that he was impressed with the turnout on Saturday.
“I have been to the Safety Harbor Christmas Parade before, but this was my first time riding in it,” he wrote. “The weather was perfect…and I was amazed by all the people in attendance. It truly was a wonderful experience.”
Saracki, who has spent the past two years organizing Oldsmar’s centennial celebration, said he learned an important lesson about being involved in such a big event.
“For next year, I learned to better conserve my bead throwing,” he said.
“We could not throw out the beads fast enough and ran out halfway through the parade!”
Here’s a look at some of the many colorful sights from Safety Harbor’s 35th annual Holiday Parade on Saturday, December 19, 2015.
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