Saratoga News

Saratoga Community Parade gets ready to hit the streets

By Sarah Lombardo

More than 2,000 people are expected to march right down the center of Saratoga Avenue and Big Basin Way on Sunday, Oct. 4--and with them, the return of the Saratoga Community Parade.

The parade has been held periodically throughout Saratoga's history, sometimes called simply the Saratoga Parade or the Fall Parade, and by various groups. In 1995, the event was made annual and dubbed the Saratoga Community Parade.

But two years into the tradition, city budget cuts and a lack of funding shut down the operation in 1997.

Warren Lampshire, a Village business owner and chairman of the 1995 and 1996 parades, said he received phone calls and inquiries about what had happened to the event. According to Lampshire, enough people showed interest in bringing it back that a committee was formed to plan this year's parade.

More than 100 entrants are expected to participate in the 1998 Community Parade, which is sponsored by the Saratoga Rotary Club, the Sister City of Saratoga, Saratoga National Bank, the city, the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce, Jake's Pizza and Green Valley Disposal.

The marchers will begin their trek at the intersection of Fruitvale and Saratoga avenues, and then proceed into the Village. The route will end at Fourth Street, but Lampshire said bands will be encouraged to continue into Wildwood Park to play a few numbers each.

"While they do that, the judges will meet to choose the winners," Lampshire said.

The parade begins at 1:30 p.m. Monetary prizes will be handed out to winning marching bands at about 4:30 or 5 p.m., Lampshire said.

For more information, call 867-2852, or visit http://saratoga-ca.com/parade.

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