Area residents came together for the Kingwood Christmas Parade Saturday afternoon.
Organized by Main Street Kingwood, the parade came through town ushered in by first responder vehicles and cadets representing the Mountaineer ChalleNGe Academy in Preston County.
Main Street Kingwood is a nonprofit organization that promotes development of Kingwood while preserving its history.
Area bands like the Central Preston Middle School marched in the parade playing Christmas carols and kids caught candy flying through the air.
Members of the Buckwheat Festival Court wave at the crowd during the Kingwood Christmas Parade.
Members from the Buckwheat Festival court waved to the crowd on a float. 2019 Queen Ceres Madeline Warnick and Maids of Honor Brooke DeBerry and Bailee Teter were dressed in their Christmas best as they traveled down the parade route.
Of course, what would a Christmas parade be without Santa and Mrs. Claus and a tiny elf closing the procession, with Mr. Claus wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.
After the parade, kids lined up with their families at the McGrew House to receive Christmas gifts that had been donated.
Larry Etchison was a volunteer handing out gifts, standing out in his button down shirt covered in pictures of St. Nick.
“We’ve been doing it for the last 15 years or more,” he said.
He said there’s a group of people who donate a couple thousand dollars to the cause and then another thousand comes from other people.
“A lot of these kids don’t get anything for Christmas, and what we have left over is going to the Salvation Army so they’ll have toys for Christmas,” he said.
Kids could pick from an array of gifts like Monopoly boards and table air hockey. Children played in the yard of the McGrew House with footballs they were gifted from Etchison.
He said many parents may not have the means to get their children presents for a variety of reasons. The effort works with Main Street Kingwood to give area kids a chance to get a Christmas present.
“We figure this would be the best way to help the community out,” he said.
TWEET @DominionPostWV
