(Additional photograph below.)
While other places may begin the Christmas season after Thanksgiving, Haverhillites know it starts here with the annual VFW Santa Parade.
Sunday’s 59th Annual VFW Santa Parade, themed “Candyland Christmas,” was widely praised for its large number of creative floats, marching bands and overall cheerleading for all things Haverhill.
VFW Santa Parade Committee Chairman Daniel P. Plourde Sr. told WHAV earlier there were about twice as many floats in the parade this year.
The float by students of Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School took the John T. Sullivan Award for Best Overall Float. The Whittier Tech float took the parade’s Candyland theme to heart, with candy canes, giant ice creak cones and other flavorful-looking props. It also highlighted the school’s 50th anniversary.
Sullivan founded the VFW Santa Parade in 1964.
Students of Whittier Regional Vocational Technical High School display the John T. Sullivan Award banner for Best Overall Float. (Mike Jarvis photograph for WHAV News.)