Downtown Sumner was full to the brim with Santa hats and Christmas music last Saturday as residents eagerly watched the annual Santa parade on a cold, crisp afternoon.
“I think people get out there, and they just have a great time hanging out,” said Terry Flippin, chair of the event.
Community organizations turned out in their holiday best, and they each offered something different.
“This is the most participants I’ve seen in this parade,” Flippin said.
For those like Ed Lynch, being part of the parade has become a tradition. Lynch, the president of the Tacoma Corvette Club, started out 20 years ago, driving solo in the parade.
“And the next think you knew, the club started coming,” he said.
This year, the club appeared with 14 Corvettes, ranging from a 1971 model to a 2011 model.
“It’s a great way for the club to get together, and a great way to show off the cars,” Lynch said.
The Corvettes revved their engines down Main Street in the heart of the parade, which included several other car clubs, Boy Scout troops, school groups, dance and theater groups, many other community organizations and the women of the Puyallup/Sumner Chamber of Commerce, impeccably dressed in full Victorian themes.
Above all, the parade was about bringing the Sumner community together, said Gordon Anderson, one of the parade’s organizers.
“I was the UPS driver out here for 14 years, and when I retired, I liked the community so much that I like to help out with whatever we have going on,” he said.
The parade opened with the Sumner High School Band playing a resounding rendition of Jingle Bells, followed by the Sumner High School girls soccer team, piled in the back of a truck. The team was this year’s grand marshal.
One by one, groups marched, danced and rolled down Main Street and wished a very Merry Christmas to those who packed the sidewalks and spilled onto the street.
Even members of the Honey Bucket Company turned out, bringing a bit of humor to the parade with a sign that read “Relief Here,” plus an inflatable portable toilet that featured Santa Claus periodically popping out of it.
The parade wrapped up with Santa Claus himself, riding in style on a classic fire engine. He waved and smiled as cries of “Santa!” swept through the crowd.
“When they wave at you, calling out your name, it’s a great feeling,” said Santa, who was played by Trevor Waltos.
Waltos, a Sumner native and Sumner High School alumnus, played Santa Claus in last year’s parade as well. He said it’s thrilling to see the looks on children’s faces when they spot him.
“It’s a great way to give back to the community,” he said.
Meredith Lawrence is a freelance reporter for The Herald.
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