Marching bands and strutting majorettes will make their way up Saratoga Avenue and down Big Basin Way on Sun., Oct. 6, when Saratoga's Community Parade steps out from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
The parade route moves from assembly points at Sacred Heart Church and Saint Andrews Church and through the village to Fourth Street , according to parade chairman Warren Lampshire.
Lampshire predicted that this year's parade, the second to be held, will be better than last year's. "We have some 1,300 people participating and over 100 entries," he said.
Bands from the area will include: Saratoga High School, Redwood Middle School, Andrew Hill High School, Cupertino High School, Homestead High School, Los Gatos High School and the Saratoga Community Band.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff's Department will send nine cars, and the department's mounted color guard will lead the parade. Also participating will be the American Civil War Association.
The parade's 12 marshals will be past mayors of Saratoga, from 1956 to 1996, in honor of the city's 40th birthday. They include: Burt Brazil, the first mayor, who served for seven years, plus Bill Glennon, Coleman Bridges, Linda Callon, David Moyles, Joyce Hlava, Don Peterson, Karen Anderson, F. L. Stutzman, Willem Kohler, Ann Marie Burger and current Mayor Paul Jacobs.
The mayors will ride in convertibles and Model A Fords.
A birthday celebration, marking the 40th birthday of Saratoga, will be held after the parade in Wildwood Park, where the mayors will cut the cake. Cash awards and trophy winners will be announced, and band concerts will be conducted by Craig Northrup, leader and director of the Saratoga Community Band.
"We're going to be able to serve up to 2,500 pieces of cake, thanks to donations by merchants," Lampshire said. Rotary's Interact members and members of the city's Youth Commission will help serve the cake.
The Saratoga Community Parade is staffed by volunteers and is nonprofit and designed to benefit the residents of Saratoga, Lampshire said.
Planning the parade are: Jay Jones, secretary; Maggie Porter, treasurer; Bryn Boepple, publicity; Ernie Brookfield, judges and awards; Glenn Darragh, logistics; Mike McCambridge, schools and special entries; Joan Pisani, city of Saratoga liaison; Bob Egan, past Rotary president.
The first Community Parade was held in 1995. Sponsors continue to be Saratoga Rotary Club, Saratoga Chamber of Commerce and the city of Saratoga.
"They provide the impetus and the bucks," Lampshire said.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, September 18, 1996.
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