The LG Christmas parade: A great way to start the holiday season

It’s about 7:30 a.m. and the crowds are already gathering on North Santa Cruz Avenue, trying to get the best spots along the sidewalk to watch the 55th annual Los Gatos Christmas Parade.

Both young and old can be seen wearing winter coats, Santa hats, and festive sweaters with a prancing Rudolph. Everyone is getting ready to spend a morning at the curb, carrying blankets and beach chairs or pulling the little ones in red wagons. Visitors are equipped with gleaming silver thermoses holding steaming, hot-chocolate, tea or coffee.

Walking through the back streets, one can see the sea of floats and attractions ranging from equestrians and BMX bike riders to the Redwood Middle School Marching Band lining up to get their spot in the parade. This local event attracts crowds of more than 15,000 spectators, from all across the Silicon Valley.

This year, local high school students also participated in this spectacular event. Sophomore Amelia Troyer stood on the Los Gatos Rowing Club’s float, a gigantic trailer carrying one of the team’s boats.

“I’ve never been there before. It was exciting to represent my team,” Troyer said.
She said that her team met a 10 a.m. at their float and to get ready to wave to the crowds in their team sweat shirts.

Saratoga was represented through some familiar faces in the Los Gatos-Saratoga Park and Recreation department, Saratoga Boy Scout Pack 508, and the Redwood Middle School marching band.

“We weren’t at the very beginning of the parade, so we didn’t have to come that early, which was pretty cool,” 8th grade Redwood marching band member Ellie Lee said. “I saw a lot of people I know, and we sounded pretty awesome.”

The group that got the biggest cheers and laughs, however, was the “Cuccuzza Squash Drill team,” amusing the crowd with their giant squash fights.

Since that band will be taking part in the Macy’s Thanksgiving-Day parade, they might also want to try appearing in the Los Gatos Holiday Parade next year, and share their routine with those who weren’t able to see them on TV.