OCALA, FL (352today.com) – How do you make a great Christmas parade even better? Add inflated, jogging T-Rex dinosaurs to the line-up, of course.
“Nothing says Merry Christmas like a giant dinosaur,” said Sue Mosley, Ocala Christmas parade organizer.
For years, Mosley says she worked to get Oscar Mayer’s Wienermobile in the parade. Once she achieved that, she didn’t know how she would top it. That is until someone sent her a video of the awkwardly entertaining dinosaurs running on the track at a horse race and she knew she had to have them in Ocala’s parade.
“It was my dream. When these suits first came out like 10 years ago, I was like I need to have them in the parade… like they should be on a float or something,” said Mosley. On Saturday, Dec. 9, Mosley’s dream came true. “The annual, inaugural running of the dinosaurs. I’m so happy. I couldn’t be happier.”
Organizers estimate 60 to 70-thousand people lined the nearly two-mile-long parade route to see a variety of floats, marching bands, dance squads, cheerleaders, football teams and community groups during the 65th annual event.
Jennifer McKenzie was just one of those thousands lining both sides of Silver Springs Boulevard. “I’ve been doing it for as long as I can remember. [I’m] almost 40 years old – been doing this my whole life,” said McKenzie whose daughter was marching in the parade this year with the Fort McCoy Middle School band.
For McKenzie, it’s easy to explain why Ocala’s parade is so epic. “How everyone comes together. Up and down the roads there’s tons of people,” gushed McKenzie like a kid on Christmas morning. “I love it. I absolutely love it.”
Christmas tunes filled the air along with sirens from multiple first responder units.
There was no shortage of vehicles – from motorcycles to muscle cars, Jeeps to golf carts, buses and boats.
Among the boat-themed floats cruising the parade route were two sleek center console bay boats from Black Label Marine which transported the on-air personalities from 352today’s sister radio stations 93.7 K-Country and Wind-FM.
Mr. Bob and Kathy from the Mr. Bob Morning Show, along with hosts Lewis Stokes and Big Red floated in style on one boat while Wind-FM’s morning duo Hunter and Dupree along with midday host Scott Chase rode on another.
| PARADE POV: Check out this point of view video from parade participant Kathy Dugan aboard the 93.7 K-Country boat float
Mother Nature provided a beautiful backdrop for the sights and sounds of the parade. While the temperature was in the 60s by parade time, “snow” wafted through the air.
Roads near the parade route started shutting down as early as 11 a.m. Families make holiday memories by showing up hours ahead of kick-off to hang out in tailgate style which is why staking out the perfect parade-watching spot is as much a tradition as the parade itself.
The Grinch showed up in several places with his green grimace.
Santa finished up the parade in grand style with shiny reindeer and wishes for a Merry Christmas.
Missed the parade this year or just want to relive the festivities? You can watch the full parade from start to finish here.
