The 2024 Annual Town of Los Gatos Children’s Christmas/Holiday Parade, held Saturday, now marches off into the history books. It did not disappoint.
Both the Friday night tree lighting, as well as the parade were complete successes. The Lions Club outdid themselves with their military precision. The Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce and Town officials demonstrated great teamwork. And LGS Recreation and the Los Gatos Christmas Foundation made it all look so easy.
Noticeably absent this year were any horses—or the Zucchini Mafia.
Previous years have seen cold drizzle. This year, the sun was out, and Covid-era fears are a thing of the past. Everyone had a smile, saying, Hello, to folks not seen for a long time. And don’t children grow up so fast?
Rick Miller, the parade chairman and Lions Club past president, and his pride of Lions, began the preparation for the event well ahead of time With 167 in the line-up, the streets around Santa Cruz Avenue needed to be marked, so the entrants would know where to stage.
Judges were brought in from out of town. They perched themselves on top of the marquee at the Los Gatos Theatre, where the view of the parade was spectacular.
(Jonathan Natividad / Los Gatan)
Our new local radio station KPCR 92.9 broadcast from their second floor balcony in the Lynx building, and across the street KCATV15 streamed live (and will be rebroadcasting this and previous parades on Comcast Channel 15 and kcat.org/watch-tv).
Over at the corner of Highway 9 and Santa Cruz Avenue, the Salvation Army and the Silicon Valley Women’s Auxiliary had their truck—and doggy mascot Heinrich Von Kartoffel. Major Daniel Freeman, Major Doreen Freeman, Maria Balusar, Jan Goodwin, Karen DiLullo and Rebeca Daley offered hot chocolate. “We have delicious hot chocolate with marshmallows—and with a candy cane,” Goodwin said. It was delicious and warming, on this crisp morning.
The A Tool Shed family had arrived at 5:45am to place their chairs. They wanted to be ready to watch their truck go by. It carried the Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad engine, and that in and of itself folks was worth seeing. It belched smoke while sounding its whistle. All aboard!
The marching bands were fantastic. The Shriners drove around in their little red cars. The dance groups were well-practiced. Everyone from your favorite dentist to the YMCA Adventure Guides, Girl and Boy Scouts, our local dignitaries and charitable groups seemed to be participating.
Additional appreciation goes to the Los Gatos-Monte Sereno Police Department, along with the Santa Clara County Fire Department, for keeping the peace. Also—shout out to the Disaster Aid Response Team.
