SCHENECTADY New date set for Gazette Holiday Parade BY LINDSAY GREENE For The Daily Gazette
On the hottest day of the year so far, the city of Schenectady started to look toward the holiday season. “It may be 90-plus degrees out today,” said Charles Steiner, president of the Chamber of Schenectady County, “but for a few minutes we want to think about November and the beginning of a brand new tradition with the annual Gazette Holiday Parade.” City officials announced on Tuesday that this year’s annual parade will begin at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 17. In years past, the parade was the Friday after Thanksgiving. Steiner said the event is being moved to avoid conflicts with a Broadway show and other scheduled events in downtown over the holiday weekend. The annual parade is a tradition dating back to 1969. It was originally designed to draw people to the downtown area and to kick off the holiday season and now has grown into a much-anticipated event. Mona Golub, the chairperson of the event, called it the largest and best attended night parade in the entire Northeast. It will have more than 100 entries, and spectators usually line State Street. This year’s theme will be “Classic TV Shows,” which is particularly fitting, according to Steiner, because the parade marches past Proctor’s Theatre, the location of the first program ever televised. Golub and Mayor Brian U. Stratton said they hope that the earlier date and time will attract more retail participation, as well as increase opportunities for school bands and other organizations to play a role, since the date will no longer conflict with holiday travel plans. “This holiday parade attracts people from throughout the Capital Region, and it has always played a major role here,” said Stratton, “and this year, Schenectady’s 400 block is absolutely flourishing. There are so many things to see, do, watch, smell and eat right here, and the good news is that people are going to be able to do it one week and two hours earlier … Come to downtown, stay for the parade, watch the fireworks, and then stay here,” Stratton said.” Stratton said the preholiday schedule could affect attendance, but he is optimistic. “It’s possible. We get a lot of people that are home visiting family,” Stratton said, “but then again there’s also a lot of people who leave the area during the holiday. They go over the river and through the woods to visit grandma. So, we’re hoping that everyone is going to be home gearing up for the coming holiday weekend.” MARC SCHULTZ/GAZETTE PHOTOGRAPHER Chamber of Schenectady County President Charles Steiner, at the corner of Jay and State streets on Tuesday, announces a new date for the city’s annual Gazette Holiday Parade .
Schenectady holiday parade to usher in season's magic earlier Schenectady organizers to hold event Saturday before Thanksgiving to boost downtown venues
By CATHY WOODRUFF, Staff writer First published: Wednesday, June 27, 2007
SCHENECTADY -- The annual winter holiday parade will take a few steps back on the calendar this year, marching down State Street on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in an effort to avoid conflicts with busy family and retail schedules.
"The holiday season starts much sooner now," noted Chamber of Schenectady County President Chuck Steiner, and the parade's old date -- the Friday after Thanksgiving -- is big for family vacations and marathon shopping.
This year's parade will be Nov. 17, and the time is moving to 5 p.m. -- two hours earlier.
Launched in 1969 as the Schenectady Christmas Parade, the after-dark event now is officially titled The Gazette Holiday Parade. It drew an estimated 40,000 revelers last year, and about 150 groups, floats and bands participated.
Despite that popularity, organizers said a number of factors combined to encourage them to try a different date and see if there's more room for the event to grow.
With high schools closed and families on vacation, members of bands and clubs often were unavailable to march. And since the Friday after Thanksgiving has grown into the biggest shopping day of the year, Steiner said, it's become a difficult day for merchants and their employees to join in.
"Moving the parade six days earlier on the calendar also opens the prospect of participating to many retailers who haven't been able to be involved in the parade on Thanksgiving weekend," said Mona Golub of the Golub Corp. and Price Chopper supermarkets, which is chairing the event.
Also this year, performances of The Drowsy Chaperone at Proctor's Theatre will continue Thanksgiving week, including Friday. By moving the parade earlier, organizers hope to highlight the Broadway production's local visit, rather than compete with it.
Thanksgiving week will feature the opening of a holiday exhibit at the Schenectady County Historical Society and a display in the newly renovated City Hall rotunda, as well.
Mayor Brian U. Stratton said the 5 p.m. Saturday time should be better for those who want to enjoy downtown's stores, restaurants and new movie theater before or after the parade.
The parade should be over by 7 p.m., leaving time to get small children to bed at a reasonable hour, Steiner said.
This year's parade theme will be Classic Television Oldies. Steiner said that is particularly appropriate because the route passes Proctor's Theatre, where the first public demonstration of television took place in 1930.
Gee, thanks, Proctors and Schenectady. Guess I won't be going. I don't go to "Holiday parades." Don't be PC. Don't change tradition. maybe Proctors needs to think before they inconvenience the entire county.
And as far as Mr. Steiner,
Quoted Text
"The holiday season starts much sooner now," noted Chamber of Schenectady County President Chuck Steiner, and the parade's old date -- the Friday after Thanksgiving -- is big for family vacations and marathon shopping.
Yeah, I forgot, the sales don't continue through the weekend, right? Never seen an advertisement for a 2 and 3-day sale for the weekend? If it's such a big thing, why don't we move the "holiday parade" to Christmas Day? After all, everybody's just sitting around doing nothing but spending time with their family, right? If we have it that way, it wouldn't affect any businesses, they're already closed anyway! I know, sales slow down during this 2 hours, right?
Is this Chucky saying "Show me the money?" Nitwit.
Well, I'll show Chucky and the county. I'm starting to boycott buying anything I reasonably can from anywhere in Schenectady County that supports the county taxes. If there's a sales tax on something, I'm doing my best to shop outside of the county. I already started by driving to Saratoga to buy gas last time I needed it...and got the gas at a lower price (Exit 10 off Northway, Xtra Fuels and Hess). I'll drive out of my way to make sure the county doesn't get extra of my money. They're taking enough already and not giving me anything in return. Anybody want to join me?
I'm right behind ya on this one BK...great idea. So far that is 2 of us!
Now about this parade thing. First of all they changed it from the 'Christmas Parade' to the 'Holiday Parade'. Now it is the 'Gazette Holiday Parade'. So ya know what....I don't care when, where or what the he** they call it. I hope the organizations that have taken part in this parade drop out and that attendance drops by more than 1/2!
You are correct bk....it's time to buy our goods from another county. Perhaps we won't benefit from another counties tax base, but we don't benefit from our own. At least the other counties give us a nice place to visit, shop and maybe move to. I'm heading toward Rt 50!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
It is only a parade...and to tell ya the truth I never go.....too tired too cold and really, I never wanted to park down there and "congregate" for nothing.....they have built things down there now...."build it and they will come"....that does work, as a people we are fickle...... I am still waiting for our sewers....we could have a parade here too.....a parade of nice shops and nice sidewalks etc....we could call it "The Camelot of Hamburg St".....
Where did my $$ go??????
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Parade should always be after Thanksgiving CARA BLAND Williamsville, N.Y.
I recently learned that the annual Schenectady Christmas parade has been pushed up to the Friday before Thanksgiving. It has been said the switch was made to accommodate those Schenectadians who leave the area for the Thanksgiving weekend. What about those that travel to Schenectady for the Thanksgiving holiday? I marched in that parade for many years, and to this day, whoever makes it back to Schenectady for Thanksgiving, will bundle up and go watch the parade. It’s a family tradition and the official sign that Christmas is around the corner! This year, we have a newborn son and can finally do what my sisters and cousins have been able to do with their kids for years. We want the parade to be one of our holiday traditions, but we simply cannot make it into town a week earlier. My hope for next year is that the parade will be moved back to its usual date and time. I understand that changes are a way of life, but aren’t traditions about keeping things the same?
I won't be attending the Holiday Parade only Christmas Parades and also will not shop in stores that only have holiday sales, holiday trees and holiday season.
Well, I guess i didn't look at this very clearly last time it came up. Let's ask this question. The week before Thanksgiving, and especially on Friday, how many people work in offices that are just going to let them out of the office early (or as the case may be, for the entire day) so that they can go to the Holiday Parade. Well, I won't even be thinking about taking the time, and will make sure I "forget" that the parade was canceled, maybe even meander down that way and visit some of the businesses on the day after Thanksgiving, a day that they probably have previously thought far ahead that they really needed to prepare for and a day that was a good size chunk of their yearly income. Tell me how many of the businesses down there DIDN'T count on this day. Well, at leat they'll have everybody watching out their hotel windows ordering room service for that day.
Here's another question I just thought of. What are they going to do, make MVP (and how many ther businesses) close down early so that all the employees can leave and not be blocking the parade route? What happens to the "Miracle Mile" that the MetroPlex is so proud of. Now, they're making them shut down so they can have a "look what I did before "holidaytime" comes?
I won't be attending the Holiday Parade only Christmas Parades and also will not shop in stores that only have holiday sales, holiday trees and holiday season.
I'm with you Shadow. The retailers are very happy with the revenues that they gain from those shopping for Christmas gifts, but don't have the integrity and courage to acknowledge that the overwhelming percentage of the sales result from the Christian holiday.
Several years ago, I wrote letters to the merchants that renamed their Christmas sales to Holiday sales. I will not support those retailers that do not recognize the holiday for what it is, the birth of Christ. They are certainly welcome to advertise Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Ramadan, etc. sales if they so wish. December 25th is and always will be Christmas.
Schenectady seems to center everything around Proctors. Proctors will be having some shows that week so the city doesn't want to have anything interfere with Proctors venue. Like the 'holiday' parade. (which I will NOT attend, no matter what day it is on)
Let me pose this question...'how much money has it cost the taxpayers to keep Proctors up and running?' And next, 'how much revenue is actually coming from Proctors to help the tax base in Schenectady?'
Clearly not THAT much since the taxes in Schenectady are one of the highest in the country.
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
They dont make our Christmas.....we make the retailers christmas....all right into the red zone.....that is why it is a federal holiday.....certainly not for anything other....I dont need the feds, retailers or anyother entity to tell me about christmas or to make me participate the way they want to.....
but, if they think they can own it.....go ahead and try....
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Holiday parade offers homage to TV classics First published: Sunday, November 4, 2007
SCHENECTADY -- Memories of classic television shows broadcast in black and white will be represented by marchers and floats in this year's upcoming Gazette Holiday Parade. "The theme is especially appropriate as the first television broadcast -- to three homes -- originated from GE, and the first regularly scheduled programming was broadcast three times a week from Schenectady in May of 1928," parade Chairwoman Mona Golub said.
The parade begins at 5 p.m. Nov. 17 from the corner of State Street and Erie Boulevard.
Organizers also announced that actor Jim Fisk will serve as grand marshal. Fisk hosted the Freddie Freihofer "Breadtime Stories" program from 1948 to 1966.
Since 1969, the event has marked the start of the holiday season in the Capital Region with the ceremonial arrival of Santa Claus. This year it is expected to draw up to 40,000 spectators.
People seeking more information can call the Chamber of Schenectady County at 372-5656.
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