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With no one to step forward and shoulder the planning and organizing, many communities sadly have stood by and watched their traditional Halloween parade fall by the wayside.
Not so in Johnstown, where the 44th edition will move over downtown streets beginning at 7 Thursday evening.
High among those deserving credit are radio executives and staff members at organizer Forever Broadcasting, and certainly other sponsors in the business community as well as the city of Johnstown itself.
“Everyone on our staff is excited about the parade and what it means to the community,” Terry Deitz, vice president and general manager of Forever Broadcasting, told our Ruth Rice.
“They really have been working hard to make sure this event continues.”
They certainly have. Our community is fortunate they are willing to give of their time and take on this huge responsibility.
The Halloween tradition was initiated in 1968 by the Glosser Bros. Department Store. Today, according to Deitz, it is one of the largest Halloween events in southcentral Pennsylvania.
“Last year, there were well over 12,000 people in the downtown area for the event,” Deitz said. “The annual showcase of area businesses, organizations and schools draws from more than eight counties and is one of the most anticipated events of the fall.”
Deitz’s goal this year to have well over 100 units.
And while he and his staff deserve a lot of credit, Deitz quickly shares the accolades.
“The city of Johnstown is a huge part of making this event happen,” he said, adding that “the local business sponsors are the true heroes.”
Putting this wonderful and exciting parade together and bringing people to the downtown is no easy task.
We hope the thousands who participate or line the streets to enjoy the bands, fire equipment, floats and marchers and their costumes pause on Thursday evening to think about how fortunate we are to have individuals and businesses willing to work hard to keep this special night alive.
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