What started as a 30-minute show has grown into a traditional spectacle families flock to see.
By MICHELLE JONES, Times Staff Writer
Published December 5, 2005
[Times photos: Dan McDuffie]
Twenty-one-month-old Blake Connor has a bird's-eye view from the second floor of a downtown building as the Dade City Magical Night Christmas parade moves south Friday night on 7th Street. Thousands of people gathered downtown to enjoy the annual parade and other festivities, which mark the beginning of Dade City's Christmas season.
Dancers from Blackwood Studios in Dade City perform for the crowd that came out for the annual parade on Friday night. The dancers were a part of the parade.
From left, Katherine Dennis , 10, of Land O'Lakes, Andrea Gallagher, 10, of Wesley Chapel and Katherine's sister Meagan Dennis, 8, wait along Church Avenue for the Dade City Magical Night Christmas parade to start Friday night.
Thousands of people came to watch the Christmas parade as it winded through downtown. Here, a truck in the parade rolls south on 7th Street on the parade's mile-long route.
View more images of the holidays
DADE CITY - Missy Frasier's children grew up watching the Magical Night Christmas Parade.
"We've been coming to it for 20 years," she said. "This is what community is all about."
The first parade was 30 minutes long and had about 30 units, she said.
"It was just a teeny parade," said Frasier. "But it was fun and still is fun."
On Friday night, people lined up four deep along Seventh Avenue in Dade City to see the mile-long night parade that featured bright lights on every float. Only a few changes have been made over the years to the parade that kicks off Dade City's Christmas season.
"No more cars and trucks on the street and that is much better," said Sam Hamory, a Dade City resident and owner of Custom Accents. "We used to park our truck like so many others and put chairs in them to watch the parade. But more people can view the parade now."
Bundled up in blankets and warm coats, greeting one another and munching on hot dogs and sipping warm drinks, folks arrived early for the 7 p.m. event.
And they were treated to a new event destined to become tradition - the lighting of a Christmas tree on the lawn of Dade City's Historic Courthouse.
"One, two, three," said Hutch Brock, the mayor of Dade City.
After a couple of glitches the 16-foot frazier fir tree, wrapped in ribbons and covered with white lights, surrounded by lawn angels trumpeting the arrival of Christmas, the lights flickered on to the delight of the crowd.
"I want to welcome all of you," Brock said. "We think Dade City is a special place and hope all of you visitors will return."
Jacque Urbutiet, Miss Dade City, sang God Bless America and The Christmas Song after the mayor's short welcome speech.
Joey Wubbena, president of the Dade City Chamber of Commerce, the sponsor of the parade, welcomed everyone from the judges stand.
"This is a family event to start the Christmas season," he said.
This year there were 110 units for all generations to watch parade by as they sat on blankets or chairs along the route. Some brought babies bundled up to protect them from the temperature that dropped into the low 50s.
Sirens announced the arrival of the first units of the parade. Firetrucks and sheriff's cars, lighted floats, marching units, school bands, horses, classic cars, dogs and clowns brought smiles to faces. Several church floats reminded people of the reason for the season.
"My favorite was the Withlacoochee River Electric float," said 13-year-old Thomas Frasier. "It gets you into the Christmas mood because it is so bright and colorful."
Marcia Naylor from Pennsylvania, a winter visitor to Zephyrhills, agreed with Thomas.
The float had trees and power poles and lines covered with bright lights.
Pine View Middle School from Land O'Lakes played Jingle Bell Rock with their lighted instruments to stick with the magical light theme of the parade.
Bubbles came off one float, which caused Wubbena to refer to it as Florida snow.
Nancy Hamory enjoyed her 13-year-old daughter Nikki Hamory's unit from the Blackwood Studios best as they danced to Christmas music.
The last unit of the parade had Santa Claus arriving in a horse-drawn carriage, then the judges gathered in the chamber's office to tally their votes. They selected the Withlacoochee River float as the Best Large Commercial, the Blackwood Studios as the Best Marching Unit, Pine View Middle School as the Best Marching Band and Capstone Tropical Holdings/Prudential Tropical Realty as Best Small Commercial. The Best Civic Float Award went to the Richland Baptist Church with its Walk Through Bethlehem, and the Best Horse Unit went to Little Everglades Steeplechase. Kirkley's Photo Works took home the Best Car Award, and the Best Overall Award went to Imperial Excavating.
On Saturday, Dade City Main Street sponsored their annual Country Christmas Stroll late in the afternoon with shops staying open late, local entertainment, pony rides, train rides, free photos with Santa Claus and the chamber's monthly Cruise-In for classic cars.
