Tyrone Xmas parade: Idea not the brightest

Last week a certain local publication suggested that Tyrone’s first ever nighttime Christmas parade could very well become the biggest parade in the South, rivaling those seen on television even.

Due to workplace holiday schedules, I was the lucky one chosen to cover the much anticipated event.

I was told that floats would begin lining up around 5:30 p.m., and that I could come in advance to take some photographs of set-up before the sun set. I hoped to get at least a handful of shots before it was too dark as we were planning to run a photo from the parade in The Tyrone Citizen.

I arrived just after 5:30 and soon discovered that it was already too dark to get any good photos. Dusk had settled in and clouds had covered the remaining rays of sun. Of course, the lack of lighting wouldn’t have mattered much anyway, as most floats were empty until closer to the start time set for 6:30.

For the next hour I played with my camera settings, trying to figure out a way to get shots of the floats as they passed. I parked under a street lamp in hopes of getting some additional light shed on the floats. When that seemed to fail me, I finally settled in at a bend in the road and prayed that I could get at least one good photograph.

When the parade commenced, a patrol car led the way, followed by four military men dressed in full regalia carrying flags and guns who were in turn followed by two teenage girls carrying a banner proclaiming the arrival of the parade’s grand marshal.

And that is when the first problem arose. The truck pulling the float had its headlights on in order to light the way for the preceding walkers as well as the truck itself, but the float it pulled was completely unlit. Parade attendees were first semi-blinded by the truck’s lights and then required to readjust to the darkness in time to try and see the unlit float passing before them.

As the parade progressed some hauler trucks drove slowly with only their parking lights on and the crowd was spared their headlights. The lineup included professional floats (what that means exactly I’m not sure) from out of state which were adorned with advertisements for local businesses and churches. Most of the floats were beautifully decorated, at least what I could see of them, and those riding the floats tried their best to spread the holiday cheer through dance, song, candy throwing and shouts of holiday greetings. Some of the floats had minimal lighting on the floats themselves, but it was hard to distinguish at times what lighting was coming from the floats versus what was coming from my camera’s flash.

At one point two more walkers came along with a banner proclaiming “_____ _____ of Tyrone.” Those on the side of the road aimed their handheld flashlights at the banner, but seemed to collectively aim them directly at the lower half of the banner. Perhaps the trouble was that the kids were in charge of the flashlights, but either way I knew that there was more to the banner than “of Tyrone.” When the banner neared me and I aimed my camera at it with the flash lighting the area before me, I discovered there was in fact more to the announcement. Apparently the next float was to be the “Christmas Queens of Tyrone.” Mystery solved.

I heard there was to be a “celebrity” appearance by Paul Ossman, and he may have been there, but I couldn’t tell you. Most everyone looked the same in the darkness.

A few floats threw treats, but this was ill-advised if you ask me. Kids rushed to the street to collect the candy on the dark road as poorly lit floats continued to hum down the street before us. Luckily no one was hurt, but I could see a potential disaster before my eyes.

About five minutes into the parade a trailer of children dressed as angels passed us with the announcement that they were the last ones and the parade was over.

Everyone who had come out for the parade, many of whom had been there for at least an hour, looked around at each other in confusion at the announcement that five minutes into the parade it was over. Finally I heard someone say that they saw another float around the bend, and we all seemed relieved that there was more to come.

After what seemed like a long time, but was probably only two minutes, a SUV came pulling around the bend hauling a trailer with a live nativity in back. I guess the SUV driver felt rushed to catch up with the rest of the pack and drove rather quickly past us, whipping around the next bend so fast the people in the trailer it pulled were gripping the sides in an effort not to fall out.

The next several minutes saw a few more parade entries pass before the crowd. These also moved slightly faster than the floats at the beginning, but not nearly as fast as the live nativity. Kids cheered as the highlight of their evening made an appearance: it was Santa Claus!

And then it was over.

Ten minutes into the parade another trooper brought up the rear to signify the end. People quietly packed up their belongings and loaded their kids back into vehicles. I watched as the parade’s tail lights made their way down an empty Senoia Road toward the middle of town.

So what’s my point you may be asking yourself at this moment? While I think that the parade planners’ idea for a night parade was well intended (hey, it’s a unique idea to have a local parade at night in December), I believe it was not very well thought out. After all, there is a reason people don’t hold parades at night. Luckily it was a rather mild December night, although it was still rather chilly outside.

Someone on The Citizen’s Web site made the point that Disney has nighttime parades. To him I would say, yes they do, but it’s called Disney’s Electric Parade.

If Tyrone decides to try the nighttime parade again next year, I would advise they stock up on Christmas lights at the after-Christmas sales. With 20 more minutes worth of parade festivities and thousands more lights, Tyrone just might be able to pull it off.