La Cygne's Christmas on Broadway chilly but eventful

The float sponsored by Snow Pest Control generated its own weather in Sunday's Christmas on Broadway lit-up parade. The float won first place. See our gallery of parade photos below. (Photos by Roger Sims / Linn County Journal)

By Roger Sims

linncountyjournal@icloud.com

Overcast skies, a brisk wind, and temperatures hovering the upper 30s couldn't dampen the spirits of La Cygne area residents and their families on Sunday, Dec. 7, as the city's annual Christmas on Broadway got under way.

While there were outside activities, most of the people migrated to those that were in the library. While children and parents visited with Santa, built stuffed puppies, and sat for face-painting in the Swan Room and the southern portion of the building, the Great Room filled with people eating the walking tacos being served by volunteers as a fundraiser for the Prairie View Educational Foundation

Santa, from left, finds a place on his lap and chair for a family photo with sisters 4-year-old Veronica, 9-year-old Stella and Eva, 7, in the La Cygne Library on Sunday.

As the live Christmas music wound down, the raffle drawing sponsored by the La Cygne Friends of the Library chapter got under way, with dozens of baskets, wreaths, and other gift items going to those who had purchased tickets for the drawing.

Shortly after 5 p.m. it was time for the lighting of the Mayor's Christmas Tree. La Cygne Mayor Debra Wilson made a brief speech thanking those city workers and organizations whose work made the Christmas event possible. But as she was speaking, a northbound train came rumbling through, making it difficult to hear her. And when it was time to flip the switch to turn on the lights, a malfunction occurred. That was shortly rectified and as the lights came on, those who were watching applauded.

Vanessa, 6, enjoys her tour around an inflatable track on a hippopotomus.

At 5:30 p.m. the lit-up parade started down Broadway. But then the crowds had thinned, but those who stuck around were entertained by the variety of entries and the work that went into creating them.

Judges deemed the float created by Snow Pest Control, which created its own "snow" storm with foam, as the grand prize winner. Big Smoke BBQ came in second with their float. Third place went to a rolling gingerbread house but its creator disqualified herself and Stainbrook's Excavating, with a trailer-mounted mini-excavator scoop dumping out candy for kids along the route, was named third place winner.

A volunteer for the Prairie View Educational Foundation, Michaeluah Bartlett serves up walking tacos for a family.

The lighting of the Mayor's Christmas Tree had a couple of hitches, a train passing through town on tracks behind Thayor Memorial Park which may have contributed to the delay in lighting the tree. However, Mayor Wilson and the small group gathered found humor in the circumstances.

More images from Sunday's event. Click on photo for full-size image.