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In the fog, Lewes parade ushers in holiday

Annual event ends a busy day of Christmas festivites throughout the city on Dec. 2
Wharton’s Landscaping and Garden Center won the top prize in the 91st annual Lewes Christmas Parade as the most original entry. The float also won the best use of sound division. More than 100 entries took part in the popular holiday event. RON MACARTHUR PHOTOS
Ron MacArthur
December 6, 2023

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The 91st annual Lewes Christmas parade rolled down Savannah Road to Second Street Dec. 2 through a heavy fog. But the hazy night didn’t hamper anyone’s holiday spirit, as more than 100 local businesses, groups and individuals participated in the kickoff to the holiday season. 

Winners of the parade are:

Most original entry: Wharton’s Landscaping & Garden Center

Commercial floats: 1. East Coast X Welding; 2. Johnson Orthodontics; 3. Elite Plumbing

Community floats: 1. MERR Institute; 2. Lewes in Bloom; 3. UD Sharp Campus Marine Studies

Youth organization float: 1. Delmarva’s Heat Fast Pitch; 2. Girl Scout Troop 499; 3. Delmarva Destroyers Youth Baseball

Marching group: 1. McAleer-Paulson School of Irish Dance; 2. Literacy Education Assistance Pups; 3. Cape Henlopen LEO Club

Equestrian: 1. Pairadice Equestrian.

Best use of sound: 1. Wharton’s Landscaping & Garden Center; 2. McAleer-Paulson School of Irish Dance; 3. Girl Scout Troop 499

Clowns: MERR Institute

Band: Cape Henlopen High School Band.

Car club vehicles: 1. Straight Eights Car Club; 2. Lowered Habits Car and Truck Show; 3. Eagles Chariot Club

Classic car older than 1967: 1. 1928 Chevy Coupe fire engine, Rick and Patti Triplett; 2. Rat Rod, Paul Magliato of Sand and Sunset Getaway; 3. 1960 Austin Healey 3000, David and Nancy Haines

Recent vintage vehicles: 1. 1993 Nissan with boat body, Freedom Boat Club; 2. 1991 Corvette, Dan Fiorino; 3. 1971 Triumph TR-6, Jim and Ellen Gibby

Fire companies: 1. Little Creek Fire Co.; 2. Houston Volunteer Fire Co.; 3. Memorial (Slaughter Beach) Volunteer Fire Co.

Honorable mention: Lewes Presbyterian Church youth group; Pack 1 Lewes Cub Scouts; Cape Elite Vikings and cheer squad; Cape Henlopen Pop Warner; Meineke Car Care/Cape Henlopen High School state champion field hockey team; Cape Henlopen High School FFA; Special Olympics Delaware; Anna’s Daycare.

The parade is sponsored by the Lewes Chamber of Commerce.

 

Wally Evans, who has devoted nearly 50 years to the Lewes Fire Department, is grand marshal of the 2023 parade.
The Community Bank float’s snow machine covers Savannah Road with the white stuff.
With dolphins leading the way, the Marine Education, Research and Rehabilitation Institute rolls down the parade route. The float took top honors in the community float division and first place in the clowns division.
He arrives. As tradition dictates, Santa Claus comes to Lewes riding atop the Lewes Fire Department ladder truck.
Dogs and owners in the Literacy Education Assistance Pups organization stop to greet the judges.
Graduate students from the University of Delaware are having a lot of fun as they escort their impressive float, which was third in the community float division.
The Grinch wears a uniform of the Delmarva Destroyers Youth Baseball program. Their float, filled with players, finished third in the youth organization float division.
Atlantic Refrigeration & Air Conditioning highlights their well-known penguins on their float.
The Cape-May Lewes Ferry MV Delaware replica is covered from bow to stern in lights.
There were a lot of grinches in the Lewes parade this year, including a menacing one getting a tow.
Those on the judges’ stand have the best seat in the house for the Lewes parade. Emcees for the event included Jim Smith and Mike DiPaolo.
Johnson Orthodontics' Molar Express finished in second place in the community float division.
Passwaters Landscaping’s float features a tall snowman tree.
Sussex County Councilman Mark Schaeffer’s car has a holiday glow.
The combination of fog and lights creates strange shapes and silhouettes.
McAleer-Paulson School of Irish Dance students perform in front of the judges’ stands. The popular group was a first-place finisher in the marching group division.
A large gingerbread man walks along the parade route.
The Cape Henlopen High School Band stretches down Savannah Road as they perform at the judges’ stand.
The Cape Henlopen High School dance team does some high stepping as they perform in the parade.
The Fort Miles Historical Association’s 1943 search light resembles a tracking beam as it points up into the foggy sky.
Downs Automotive’s race cars are aglow with neon colors.
Rick and Patti drive their 1928 Chevy Coupe, which is made to look like a fire engine. They won top honors in the classic car division.
Father Christmas rides atop a 1937 Rat Rod owned by Paul Magliato of Sand and Sunset Getaway.
One of the Lowered Habits Car and Truck Club entries is decked out for the holiday.
Wharton Landscaping & Garden Center’s prize-winning float includes three decorated trees.
Pairadice Equestrian not only had horses in the parade but also a large colorful float. They took first place in the equestrian division.
The Grinch lives up to his name and runs off with Pairadice Equestrian’s unicorn.
Girl Scout Troop 499’s float has toys of yesterday, including a life-sized Barbie. Their float took second-place honors in the youth organization division.
Special Olympics Delaware athletes take part in the 91st annual Lewes Christmas Parade. The group won an honorable mention.
A large crowd turns out with lighted candles to sing Christmas songs during Lewes’ tree-lighting ceremony in Zwaanendael Park following the parade.
Donna Marconi of Lewes lights her candles as she joins with others to sing Christmas songs.
Claire Wilson of Lewes sings with Donna Mayhall and McKinley Hagerman.
Lewes Mayor Andrew Williams throws a switch to officially light the Lewes Christmas tree in Zwaanedael Park.
The Cape Henlopen High School JROTC color guard leads the parade.

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