From Santa to the Grinch, all manner of Christmas cheer on display at annual Quincy parade

QUINCY − Early holiday revelers lined a 3-mile stretch of Hancock Street from the Walter J. Hannon Parkway to North Quincy High School for the 69th annual Quincy Christmas Parade on Sunday. Thousands of people attracted by the glittering floats, synchronized marching bands and festive atmosphere flocked to the street, marking the end of a weekend-long holiday celebration in the city.

Spectators came prepared with lawn chairs and blankets. One party even made a makeshift bench out of a board and two milk crates. Crowds gathered near Veterans Memorial Stadium, and vendors peddled balloons, toys, cotton candy, popcorn and noisemakers to kids excited to join in the fun. Soon, the sound of toy trumpets and youthful shouts filled the air.

Across from Central Middle School, three generations of McGue family took in the sights and sounds. "Grumpy" McGue, of Weymouth, has been going to the parade for 40 years. Sunday, he brought his son Jeremy and his daughter "Auntie" Morgan.

McGue's five grandchildren − Charlie, Sam, Theo, Lincoln and Addilyn − ran back and forth from the family's base of chairs and blankets, playing "superheroes" and getting ready for the parade.

"It's like herding sheep," he said as he tracked the movements of the children. McGue said he looked forward to the Clydesdales most of all, a perennial favorite at the parade.

"It's always been good," he said. "Though that's contingent on the weather."

The Boston Police Gaelic Column of Pipes and Drums led the parade in green and blue kilts. The pipers blared out "Auld Lang Syne," "God Bless America" and seasonal tunes. Next appeared Quincy Mayor Tom Koch. He traversed the parade route flanked by city, county and state officials, including several Quincy city councilors.

Soon after, the first of several floats appeared. Central Middle School seventh grade teacher JoJo Hallisey, of Quincy, won the annual theme contest with her idea, "Christmas Through the Ages." Her theme was selected in October to give float contestants enough time to create their floats.

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North Quincy High School's float represented Quincy's now-closed Wollaston Theatre, with an old-fashioned reel projector and an antique popcorn machine. Old movie posters for "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Miracle on 34th Street" also adorned the float, which won the $1,000 second prize. The $1,500 first prize went to Friends of Quincy Recreation for its entry, "Rec and Roll," which depicted a 1950s-style diner complete with a jukebox and soda fountains.

The Town River Sailing Program won the $2,000 Father Thomas Tierney Grand Prize Award for best overall non-commercial float for its entry, which showed a series of toys from decades past, including Etch-a-Sketch, Nintendo, Cabbage Patch Kids, Simon, Pac-Man and Easy Bake Oven.

The parade also hosted a high school marching band competition. Color guards, trimly uniformed brass sections and drum lines marched in formation, playing holiday favorites such as "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," "Joy to the World," "Deck the Halls" and "Jingle Bells." Judges with clipboards watched them as they performed in front of Central Middle School.

Joe Nee has been judging contests for almost 50 years.

"We look at what they do, and how they do it," he said. His team includes a music judge, a percussion judge, a visual judge and a judge of the "overall effect." Nee said it's important that each band "keeps in step with their lines straight."

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Concluding the parade in grand style was the 380-member UMass Amherst Marching Band. A color guard of baton twirlers and flag wavers introduced seemingly endless ranks of plumed marchers and musicians. The huge brass section and drum line excited the crowds along Hancock Street with thunderous renditions of classic Christmas tunes and pep songs.

Sue and Michael Harrington were on hand to watch their son, Brendan.

"He's a sophomore in the drum line," Sue said.

The Harringtons were among a large contingent of supporters dressed in UMass red and white cheering from the sidewalk.

"We've been to every football game this season," Michael Harrington added. "We never miss a performance."

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Reach Peter Blandino at pblandino@patriotledger.com.

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Quincy's 69th Christmas parade brought characters, bands to Hancock Street