THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511250426
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 14 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY JOAN C. STANUS
STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 83 lines
Nestled together to keep warm, they lined the curbs and sidewalks of downtown Norfolk on this cold November night to bask in the glow of thousands of holiday lights.
They wore fleece-lined coats, heavy mittens and two pairs of socks. They wrapped in blankets and feasted on picnic dinners. They sang carols, joked with friends and chatted with strangers. In the darkness, they awaited the countdown.
... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 ...
Promptly at 6:30, to the sounds of a collective sigh, the master switch was flipped, transforming the downtown skyline into an iridescent white cityscape.
It was the Grand Illumination. The holidays had officially arrived in downtown Norfolk.
Inching down Waterside Drive with beams flashing and sirens blaring, a dozen motorcycle police officers led off the annual Holidays in the City parade to the cheers of the waiting crowd, lining the streets three and four deep. Dozens of light-lined floats, high-stepping marching bands, bicycle-riding clowns, prancing horses and moped-riding Shriners followed.
True to its theme, there was something for ``Kids from 1 to 92'' in this procession.
As the units passed, the adults applauded the military units, garbage can-drumming city employees and marching civic groups. Teenagers cheered their favorite high school bands and radio stations.
Children clapped and hollered at almost every entry, but especially for those doling out candy and peanut giveaways. Overloaded by all the sights and sounds, the tiniest of tots stood spellbound.
One mother barely could contain her excitement.
``Hey, look, here comes Claire,'' the woman hollered to anyone standing nearby, just as her daughter's high school band approached.
``Claire, Claire, here we are,'' she tried to scream over the beating drums.
Twirling her baton to the rhythms of ``Jolly Old Saint Nicholas,'' her teenaged daughter never even looked her way.
``She's ignoring you,'' a friend offered.
``Yeah, I'm embarrassing her to death,'' the mother giggled.
After 90 minutes of Christmas cheer personified in every way imaginable, the end finally came. As Santa and his elves passed, the True Believers, though tired and chilled, were aglow. It had finally sunk in. Christmas was near.
``Mom,'' one 4-year-old excitedly whispered to his mother. ``Is Santa coming to see us tonight?''
``No honey,'' she answered with a weary grin. ``He's still getting ready.'' ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photos]
COVER PHOTO
BY L. TODD SPENCER
L. TODD SPENCER
The Virginian-Pilot
ABOVE: From left, watching from Waterside Drive, Maryann Shorten,
Brenda Roenker, Robert Bodtke, Robyn Carter and Mark Johnston enjoy
the sights and sounds of the Grand Illumination Parade.
LEFT: With Santa Claus approaching faster than mom ever thought
possible, 2-year-old Morgan Pate and her mother Tanya are
mesmermized by the sight of Jolly Old St. Nick and his merry band of
elves parading through the streets of downtown Norfolk.
BETH BERGMAN
The Virginia-Pilot
RIGHT: Dressed for the season and the occasion, 8-year-old Deidre
Armistead puts on a one-unit parade of her own for TV cameraman
Kevin Rafferty.
BELOW: The Manteo High School marching band was one of the many
performing units that entertained the thousands of people who lined
the downtown streets.
by CNB