Othello holds Christmas Miracle on Main Street Parade
OTHELLO — It was frosty and cold in Othello on Saturday, and the freezing fog of the previous few days left a thick, natural flocking on all of the trees in front of City Hall.
In short, it was a perfect night for a Christmas parade.
“We are very happy with the weather, because this year’s theme was ‘Winter Wonderland’ and it’s super frosty, so it just went perfect,” said Tania Morelos, Othello City clerk and head of the committee that organized the Christmas Miracle on Main Street Parade.
It was also a sizable crowd that gathered along Main Street in what may have been the region’s first parade in this year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Families watched the usual parade fare — police cars, firetrucks, four-wheelers, candy tossed from floats, Miss Othello Rodeo Brianna Kin Kade on horseback, and yes, Seahawk Santa — make their way past.
There was even the long-delayed 4th of July fireworks show in Lions Park, an interesting spectacle in the sometimes low-hanging fog.
But for most who attended, it was just getting out of the house and being with people that was important.
“It’s good to see people out here, and it’s nice that they did it,” said Minerva Martinez as she stood in the cold with her two grandchildren. “I thought they weren’t going to have it.”
“I thought it was great, the beginning and the end, especially the lighting up of the tree, that was the cherry on top,” said Rolando Pruneda as he held his toddler son, Rolando. “The kids loved it, they were really excited. My son’s favorite part was the firetrucks, of course, and police cars.”
“It was really great,” he added. “It was a good way to end the night.”
Pruneda’s 8-year-old daughter Roslyn chimed in. She had a favorite part of the parade, too.
“The candy!” she said.
Morelos said she was surprised at how well the parade turned out, especially given that planning started late and no one was sure they would even be allowed to stage the event.
“I didn’t know what to expect. Last year I didn’t know what to expect because it was the first year, and I didn’t know what to expect this year because of all the COVID-19 restrictions,” she said. “But we’re really happy with the turnout.”
