2008 Holiday Parade
Continued

Mayor Reed said the Holiday Parade will once again feature a Military and Veteran’s Division, which was added two year’s ago to honor both the past and present men and women of America’s Armed forces. This year’s parade will open with a flyover at the conclusion of the National Anthem sung by Kathleen Torchia and Lynn Panattoni and played by the PA National Guard 28th Infantry Division Band. Highlights of the military division will include: numerous Honor Guards including the Ephraim Slaughter American Legion Post 733 Honor Guard; veterans of past and current military conflicts representing many service branches; Gold Star Mothers and family members; a variety of military vehicles and much, much more. Mayor Reed has appointed CWO5 John M. Travers, USA (Ret.) to serve as this year’s parade Grand Marshal. John will be accompanied in the lead car by his wife, Kathleen Torchia. Another feature associated with the Military Division will be the distribution of Holiday Cards to the public by the Capital Chapter 542 of the Vietnam Veteran’s of America, Michael J. Novosel, MOH. The public will be invited to sign the cards which will be shipped to troops in Iraq in time for the Holidays. Veterans will have card signing tables stationed along the Second Street parade route at the Downtown Improvement District’s Visitors Center at Walnut Streets and at Pine and State Streets. The Exchange Club of Harrisburg will continue their tradition of distributing small American Flags to young people attending the parade. Volunteers participating in the "GiveAKidAFlagToWave Project" distribute thousands of flags to Holiday Parade youth spectators each year, just before the Military Division begins marching along the parade route.

WHTM ABC-27 will again emcee the Parade for the tape-delay broadcast that will take place across the mid-state on Thursday, November 27, Thanksgiving Day, beginning at 10 AM. WHP 580’s R.J. Harris will again act as the live emcee during the parade on November 22. Parade entries and floats will be judged for prizes based on originality and adherence to parade theme. Prizes will be awarded by Mayor Reed in the Atrium of Strawberry Square, Third and Walnut Streets, beginning at 1:00 PM after the parade on November 22. Children will be able to visit with Santa Clause and refreshments for parade participants and the public will be provided by Strawberry Square.

Joining the city of Harrisburg to produce the 2008 holiday parade are co-sponsors: 1-800-got junk, the Bon-Ton, Capital Bluecross, Citizens Bank, Clear Channel Radio Stations; BOB 94.9 FM, KISS 99.3 FM, WHP 580, AND WRVV 97.3 FM, Coca Cola, Comcast, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, FastSigns, Geico, Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District, The Harrisburg Senators, The Hershey Company, Hilton Harrisburg & Towers, Hilton Garden Inn, Metzger Wickersham, PSECU Credit Union, Saturn of Harrisburg, Sovereign Bank, Sprint/Nextel, Strawberry Square, Sundance Vacations, Wegmans and WHTM abc27.

Reed said the Holiday Parade will form on City Island and proceed east to Market Square, where the judges and broadcasting review stands are located. The Parade then travels north on N. 2nd Street to North Street, turns west on North Street to Front Street, and then south on Front Street to the Market Street Bridge, where it turns west back to City Island and disbands.

Reed said the city’s popular Festival of Lights, first begun by the Mayor in 1993, will also kick off on Parade day and features thousands of sparkling lights and holiday set-pieces placed throughout downtown and on City Island. The Mayor noted that in addition to the colorful displays available for view, completely free of charge, on City Island, the streetlight snowflakes purchased and donated to the City last year by the Harrisburg Downtown Improvement District will also be illuminated. This year the DID has purchased additional LED lights to sparkle in the trees throughout Market Square to add to the festive downtown holiday lighting displays.

The Mayor Said on-street parking is free for the day except on parade route
streets, where parking is banned until after post-parade clean-up work is concluded.
Parking is not available on City Island due to Parade formation activity.
Parking will be free at the Market Square Garage (2nd and Chestnut Streets).
Parking will also be available in the Walnut Street, Chestnut Street (4th and
Chestnut Streets), and River Street Garages at regular rates. You can learn more
about Harrisburg Parking Authority facilities at www.harrisburgparking.org
Reed encouraged parade attendees to make a full day of it downtown,
starting with the Holiday Parade, a visit to Strawberry Square or any of the other
downtown eateries and then a stop at the Whitaker Center for the Science Center or
an IMAX film, or visit the State or National Civil War Museums.

Area motorists are advised that parade route street closures will begin at
7:00 AM and run through 1:00 PM Affected roadways include all lanes of the
Market Street Bridge, the north and south parking lots on City Island, N. Front
Street from Forster to Market Street, Market Street from Front to 2nd Street, N. 2nd
Street from Chestnut to North Street, and North Street from N. 2nd Street to N.
Front Street. Motorists and especially parkers are warned that parking is
prohibited after 7:00 AM along any of the parade route streets, with violators not
only ticketed, but also towed.

END