Liberty Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Delights Crowd

The First Annual Holiday Parade and Town Tree Lighting took place on Friday, December 2nd. Sponsored by the Town of Liberty Parks and Recreation Department, this new parade featured many of the town’s fire trucks decked out in holiday lights. The Swan Lake Fire Department even added a holiday themed float to the procession and the Liberty Fire Department Ladies Auxillary marched up main street as elves, presents and even Santa Claus and a reindeer.

There were several floats in the parade made by local civic organizations such as 4H, Boy Scout Troop 95, Girl Scouts, Liberty Public Library and New Hope Community as well as individual families. Other organizations walked with their members, like the Cub Scouts of Troop 17 decked out in reindeer antlers. Also in the parade were local radio station Thunder 102, a vintage truck carrying the reigning Sullivan County pageant winners and another antique truck driven by newly-elected Town of Liberty Supervisor Charlie Barbuti with his beloved model trains circling in the bed. Closing out the parade were members of the Boys & Girls Club’s Liberty chapter who made a gingerbread house themed float that was followed by dozens from the organization in handmade gingerbread men masks handing out candy.

Despite the cold evening weather, the mood on main street was warm and full of holiday spirit as a significant number of citizens came out to watch and participate in the parade. Even managers from the Liberty Shoprite donned Santa hats and handed out free candy canes to children waiting for the parade to start.

Following the parade the Town of Liberty tree was to be lighted on the lawn of the town hall building. Although there was a delay in between the end of the parade and the actual tree lighting the still blocked off street filled with anxious onlookers. After a countdown the tree was lit with lights all of the way to the top and decked with ornaments made for free by local children at the Liberty Fitness Center.

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