Lively Christmas spirit parades through Harlem
Amber Powell (from left), 7, Dana Bryant, 8, and Grace Jackson, 9, smile as they prepare to participate in the Harlem Christmas Parade.
Photo by Michael Holahan
Harlem High School's Junior ROTC led Harlem's annual Christmas parade Saturday, followed closely by the man who arguably had the best seat in the event - Harlem's mayor-elect, Scott Dean.
Dean drove a gray 2002 Ford Mustang on loan from Culpepper Ford, with Miss City of Harlem Kristy Thigpen and other Harlem beauty contestants as his passengers.
"It didn't get much better than that," said Dean. "The (Harlem) Lions Club set that up and I was more than happy to be there for them."
Dean and the beauty contestants were one of 51 entries on this year's mile-long parade route. That was the most entries ever for the town's Christmas parade.
"We've had more entries in the Oliver Hardy Parade, but that was the biggest Christmas parade we've ever done," said Dean. "And everything went really well. It was very smooth."
Dean estimates that 3,000 to 3,500 residents braved the chilly air to see the parade that included the Harlem High School Band, fire trucks in many shapes and sizes, step dancers, all-terrain vehicles, go-carts and more.