PHOTOS BY JERRY WOLKOWITZ staff Jack leads an antique carriage in Sunday’s Winter Festival Parade.
Sara Gerstel summed up perfectly the feelings of the crowd that attended Metuchen’s annual Winter Festival Parade on Sunday.
"The parade was awesome," Sara, 6, said after the event.
The participants and attendees could not have asked for better conditions. The sun was shining, the temperature was in the low 50s and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
The parade — this year’s theme was "A Season for Children" — began at approximately 2 p.m. on Brunswick Avenue and continued along Main Street into the downtown business district, where it turned left onto New Street and ended at the Metuchen Senior Citizens Center.
Brendon McCunney, 5, and mom Maura check out the goings-on at Sunday’s Winter Festival Parade, despite Brendon’s hat problems.
Both sides of Main Street were lined with people. Young kids were sitting on their parents’ shoulders, older ones were standing on lamppost bases or any other objects that would elevate them above the crowd.
Robert Aaron, 18, came all the way from Brooklyn, N.Y., to check things out.
"A good friend of mine moved to Metuchen from our neighborhood a few months ago," he said. "He figured this would be a great reason for us to hang out and for me to see where he lives."
Many of Metuchen’s businesses and civic associations were represented.
Members of the Metuchen High School Marching Band play a holiday tune.
Among the marchers down Main Street were Cub Scout Pack 69, Brownie Troop 1645 and members of the U.S. Marine Corps.
Schools and religious organizations were represented as well.
The Metuchen Bulldogs, members of the Pop Warner Football League, regaled the crowd with their fight song as they marched in uniform.
The St. James Episcopal Church, which is celebrating its 300th year, brought a contingent on its very own "peace train."
Santa Claus gets a big wave from Tiamarie Valvo, 6.
Some of the biggest cheers of the day were reserved for the Star Essence Performing Arts Academy and Valerie’s Golden Strutters. Both groups featured costumed twirlers and young girls holding pompoms being nudged along the parade route by their smiling moms.
Other highlights included the four Metuchen Fire Department trucks with their lights flashing and sirens blazing, and the appearance of the cast of "The Nutcracker."
Of course, no Winter Festival Parade would be complete without a visit from Santa Claus.
St. Nick closed out the parade in fine style, waving from the back of a truck representing JFK Medical Center, Edison, sponsor of the event.
The five finalists for Miss Merry Christmas share a laugh before Sunday’s ceremony.
For Sara, the fun was just beginning.
"I’m gonna go meet Santa and share my hot chocolate with him," she said.
— Matt Auerbach