On Dec. 7, Downtown Pleasanton hosted its annual Holiday Parade gathering hundreds of people flooding the sidewalks on Main Street. In celebration of the holidays, diverse performers and organizations showcased their quirks and specialties down the street.
“There were festive motorized recliners, kung fu fighters, and dancers. I also really liked how the groups would blast music and perform to it in sync. It was really impressive,” said Aubrey Chan.
The participants were not excluded from Pleasanton-based groups, with some groups coming in from Dublin and Fremont. Many memorable performances out on Main Street stand to be some fan favorites.
“My favorite part of the parade was when a guy dressed as the Grinch escaped police custody, and the police had to chase him down the street and then catch him again,” said Cindy Rader.
Amador Valley’s participants such as the sports teams, Mr. Amador, and the Marching Band and Color Guard rallied up the crowd with their floats and performances to showcase school pride and spirit.
“We prepared the band for the parade by rehearsing the music in classes prior to the event, and the students did a lot of work on their own at home,” said Amador Band Director Jonathan Grantham.
Going down the street, Mr. Amador showcased their members while spreading word about their fundraiser towards children in need.
“I was with Mr. Amador and so we were riding in the back of a truck and we were promoting our donations to George Mark Children’s Foundation to help sick kids…going through the parade just made me feel really accomplished,” said Rayyan Shah (‘26).
The parade brought together an entire community of supporters to watch a variety of entertainers in celebration of the holidays.
“I think families look forward to the hometown parade every year. I think just being able to see the different groups in the parade as well, brings together awareness of the different types of groups and clubs that Pleasanton has to offer. And it’s just fun to be able to see my friends and my family gather together in the same area celebrating the same holiday spirit.” said Rader.
