Annual holiday parade moves from Johnstown to Gloversville

PHOTOGRAPHER: Kyle Adams

The 15th annual Classic Image Holiday Parade, moved this year from Johnstown to Gloversville, is expected to draw thousands to the city Friday for an early holiday celebration.

According to parade founder and organizer Karen Coppola, close to 70 groups are signed up to march in the parade, from municipal fire and police departments to local businesses and youth groups.

“Everybody’s doing something completely different,” she said. “We have a bunch of different floats and different people who are going to be in it.”

At a glance

What: Gloversville Classic

Image Holiday Parade

WHEN: Begins at 7 p.m. Friday;

lineup at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Steps off at corner of North Main Street and Seventh Avenue, travels down North Main Street to South Main Street, ending at the Gloversville Water Department near Forest Street.

The parade will be led by grand marshal Richard Samrov, executive director of the restored Glove Theatre, and closed out, as usual, by Santa Claus delivering candy to children.

Coppola said she expects 3,000 to 4,000 people to attend the parade based on previous years in Johnstown.

The parade will line up at 6 p.m., step off at 7, and travel south along North Main Street from Seventh Avenue before concluding on South Main Street at the Gloversville Water Department near Forest Street.

The theme of the parade this year is “Christmas Carols,” Coppola said, and the event is dedicated to the memory of her father, a World War II veteran who died this year. She said she’s hoping to have some veterans in the parade and still has some spots open free of charge.

Lawrence Cross, a Gloversville resident and safety officer in the Civil Air Patrol, said he’ll be joining the parade in his restored 1969 Chevy stock car. He said the parade will provide some solace after Gloversville’s Veterans Day parade was canceled this year.

“I’m going to enjoy it,” he said. “You gotta help the community out.”

On the day of the parade, Gloversville businesses will be getting in the spirit with special offers, said Coppola. The city will also hold its tree lighting before the parade, along with horse-drawn wagon rides.

The parade will be followed by a party for participants at the Glove Theatre.

Coppola said she plans to announce the full parade lineup next week. Anyone still interested in joining the parade can contact her at 424-1796.

After 14 years in Johnstown, the parade was moved to Gloversville in September when Coppola and the Johnstown Common Council disagreed about combining the parade with the city’s Colonial Stroll in December.

Coppola approached Gloversville leaders about hosting the parade and they welcomed it with open arms. She said she has many of the same groups in the parade this year as in previous years, plus some new faces.

In Johnstown, the Colonial Stroll is set to take place as usual Dec. 4.

Reach Gazette reporter Kyle Adams at 723-0811, [email protected] or @KyleRAdams on Twitter.