Our View: The givers .... of joy

The givers ... of joy

We all have seen our share of parades. the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena and others.

We have seen our share of parades in this area, too — Longboat Key’s cutest, shortest Fourth of July parade in America; the boat parade that precedes the annual Suncoast Offshore Grand Prix, to name two.
But the best parade for sheer joy is the Downtown Sarasota Holiday Parade on Main Street.

When photographer Cliff Roles surveyed Main Street last Saturday night, he remarked: “If anyone says there are no children in this area, they need to come here and see.”

The sides of Main were teeming with children filled with joy and excitement as they watched and waved at 4,000 parade participants marching the length of Main Street.

What a great gift for the families of Sarasota.

And kudos and gratitude to Paul Thorpe and Barbara Strauss, longtime volunteer parade organizers and two of Sarasota’s great civic givers.

Strauss

















Thorpe

Eager parade watchers lined Main Street Saturday night.