By RICK MILLER
Olean Star
Thousands of people watched the Santa Claus Lane Parade come down North Union Street Friday night.
It was the 95th edition of the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce’s Santa Claus Lane Parade, sponsored this year by the Golden Oak Group at Morgan Stanley.
Santa and Mrs. Claus, nestled in the bucket of the Olean Fire Department ladder truck led a countdown to lighting the Christmas tree in the roundabout at State and Union. See the lighting of the tree here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1575797060106020
More than 50 units were lined up for this year’s parade, which kicked off at 6:30 p.m. from Delaware Avenue.
City crews were busy earlier clearing a foot of lake-effect snow from streets and sidewalks.
The fallen snow — with temperatures in the 20s at parade time — did not deter families from making their way downtown around 6 o’clock. Kids bundled up against the cold walked through the new snow even though sidewalks were cleared.
The Olean High School Marching Band performed as they led the parade behind police cars.
Floats, marching units and fire trucks decked out in colorful Christmas lights passed by the judging platform across from Blue Bird Square.
Paula Bernstein, one of the judges, found herself announcing the parade on the Olean Music Boosters Facebook page when the Eade’s Wallpapers livestream faltered. If you missed the parade, view it here: https://www.facebook.com/OleanMusicBoosters/videos/1340027000738016
More than a dozen fire trucks including the Olean ladder truck caring Santa and Mrs. Claus, were in the parade. Many were decorated with colorful lights. Other departments were represented from the Town of Olean, Allegany, Portville, Westons Mills, Knapp Creek, Franklinville and Ischua.
It wasn’t just Olean-area families attending the holiday parade.
Racheal and Joe Dickerson and their daughter Harper, 7, make the trip from Wellsville every year for the Santa Claus Lane Parade. “It’s a great parade,” said Racheal. “We always have a great time.”
