More Than 5K Expected to March in 54th Annual Hatboro Holiday Parade

The Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce executive directors, together with parade co-chairmen Tim Shultz and Chris Dubil, invite the public to attend the 54th Annual Hatboro Holiday Parade on Sunday, November 23, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The event will be held rain or shine. This year’s parade theme is “A Holiday Dream.”

The Hatboro Holiday Parade is completely funded by donations and sponsorships. The 2014 Executive Event Sponsor is Hatboro Federal Savings. Sponsoring Santa’s Float are O’Neil Buick•GMC/O’Neil Collision, Lafferty Chevrolet, J & J Auto Truck Repairs, Cemi Automotive, Rems Automotive, Precision Collision, Myers Auto Care, and Dante’s Automotive of Hatboro.

“The Hatboro Holiday Parade is one of the largest parades in the region with marching participants and spectators joining us from neighboring communities, as well as the greater Philadelphia area,” said Kathy Salemno, chamber executive board member. “And it is a family friendly and festive kick-off to the holiday season.”

Grand Marshal Dr. Bucky Clark, a lifetime resident of Hatboro, has been a volunteer with the Hatboro Holiday Parade for many years as the announcer. He is a graduate of Hatboro-Horsham High School, and has been a distinguished administrator for the Centennial School District. He served on Hatboro’s Borough Council for 28 years and was president for 5 years. Dr. Clark is the senior organist at Lehman Methodist Church in Hatboro. He serves as a board member for Abington Memorial Hospital, the Industrial Development Authority of Montgomery County, and the Warminster Rotary Club.

Celebrity Marshal, Don Polec, spent 32 years with ABC news delighting regional television viewers with whimsical features highlighting unique people, places and things. He is now vice president of SunBlossom Entertainment, headquartered in Doylestown, and is “creating innovative visual productions and exciting media projects for television, the web and beyond…”

Parade entrants consisting of more than 100 marching units with approximately 5,000 participants, including area emergency services groups, will gather at Summit Street and York Road to march through Hatboro.

Marching units will include colorful floats, high school marching bands, military units, animal rescue organizations, dance groups, youth and scouting groups, community organizations, area dignitaries, and public officials. Joining the marchers will also be five former captains of the top Philadelphia string bands called “The Mummer All-Stars.” Another first-time highlight will be a “Chinese Lion Dancer” performance sponsored by Ming’s Chinese Restaurant of Hatboro.

Also featured this year will be members of the Hatboro-Horsham High School Student Council who will march with shopping carts to collect non-perishable food and personal items along the parade route for its “Feed A Friend” food drive. Donations will be given to Hatboro area food pantries. Parade participants may bring their donations to the registration table.

The culmination of the Hatboro Holiday Parade will be Santa and Mrs. Claus arriving in a horse-drawn carriage provided by Bucks County Carriages of New Hope. Children are invited to bring letters for Santa which will be collected by the United States Postal Service (USPS).

The Greater Hatboro Chamber of Commerce, located at 120 S. York Road, Suite 6 in The Red Barn Mall, hosts special and annual events to support area businesses, both large and small. Hatboro will celebrate its Tricentennial in 2015 with special monthly programs and events.

For more information, log on to www.hatborochamber.org, or contact Kathy Salemno at 215.956.9540, or email: office@hatborochamber.org. Please visit us on Facebook.