Climate change blew in overnight here, from shirtsleeve weather on Thanksgiving day to parka time on Friday. That didn't seem to cut the crowd or chill the enthusiasm for Chariton's annual lighted Christmas parade and pre-holiday open house around the square Friday evening. I'm guessing more than a thousand turned out, every parking place on the square was full and there were treats ranging from beefburgers and chili to candy, cookies and lots of other stuff in a dozen or more stores.
Early entertainment was provided by actors in window displays around the square. I'm guessing the boys in the front window at Harbor House Christian Bookstore (top) were intending to be the stable animals --- but straw fights ensued. Elsewhere, miniature Rudolphs were performing on the north side; angels, on the west.
Ben Franklin's Sam Felderman is widely known for wasting fuel by propping open store doors to clear the air. They were not propped open Friday night and Sam was wearing long sleeves as he led the Ben Franklin carolers, who were wearing parkas.
My skills as a nighttime photographer are underwhelming, but Santa did arrive and the lighted parade had enough entries to circle the square entirely, which it did --- several times. By the last circuit, I was frozen and headed for a warm place.
Earlier in the day, when a strong, cold wind was buffeting Museum Hill, I found Kay and Marilyn attaching holiday greenery to the sign out front and elsewhere.
Down at the school, where a new wood-shingle roof is going on, that's contractor Shawn Pierschbacher headed home. He arrived early and ready to work, but none of his assistants did. A little quality time on the roof by himself in that cold wind had convinced him it was just as well to take the rest of Friday off, too.
No comments:
Post a Comment