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caption, page 1:
Parade
The Woodstock Building Associates' Dazzle Light parade entry, left, was a dazzling white winter wonderland. More photos on page 6. Linda Lemmon photo.
captions, page 6 - clockwise from top left:
Clockwise from top left: Brynn Dignam, 3, on the Putnam Elementary PTO float. Left to right: Hailey Jaques, Mikayla Jaques, Claire Moore, on the Eastford Baptist Church float. Addison Howell and mom Jane Howell check out a Newfoundland dog. "Pirates" on the Loomis Real Estate float. Junior Girl Scout Troop 60555 of Putnam. On page one: Mark Gatzke on the Able Joslins Irregulars float.
Snowman/Tree photo: The Putnam Bank float.
Elves - Eagle photo: The "elves" on the Citizens National Bank float.
By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
"Everyone loves a parade," said Gary Osbrey, chairperson of the annual Holiday Dazzle Light Parade.
And the more than 20,000 spectators definitely agreed Nov. 27 when the 10th annual Holiday Dazzle Light Parade stepped off Grove Street and wound through downtown Putnam.
The small-town version of glitzy was boosted by the unseasonably warm weather. Everything was decked with lights, including the halls on "rooms" on floats, cows, Girl Scouts and much more.
Osbrey said quite a few late entries pushed the number of entries over 150, "clearly a record." Last year there were 134 entries.
The idea for the lighted holiday parade, Osbrey said, came from two events, watching a nighttime parade in the movie "A Christmas Story" and watching a light parade at Disney. That was the inspiration years ago --- it took three years to make it happen in northeast corner. "And it really took off."
The "absolutely great weather" brought out great crowds, he said. "It's taken on a life of its own."
Cars, parade bound, wound around the exit ramps off I-395, even at the 5 p.m. start time.
Osbrey said the quality of the floats each year continues to improve. "There were some really spectacular floats this year."
Feedback before, during and after the parade, centers on the "family" aspect of the parade, he added. It's for young and old. Come one, come all.
He anticipates that the parade will continue to grow and delight. "As long as people continue to be enthused by it, we'll keep doing it," he said.