Crowd turns out for 40th annual Halloween parade

By FRANK SOJAK
The Tribune-Democrat

October 28, 2008 11:16 pm

— Kenyan McCray, 2, spent part of the day Tuesday wriggling into his Batman costume so that he could be a part of the 40th annual Greater Johnstown Halloween Parade.
The Prospect boy also was clutching a light sword as he watched the parade on Main Street with his father, Michael McCray.
The masked crusader nodded in the affirmative when asked if he was having fun and enjoying the candy that ghouls marching in the parade tossed at him.
Amanda Kreasko of Moxham was watching the parade with her two children, Mahalia, 5, and Ian, 3, and her boyfriend, Nick Puglia.
“It’s pretty good,” she said about the parade. “My children liked the dalmatians and the candy.”
Kristy Herald of Central City was at the parade with her future sister-in-law, Susie Workman, and Workman’s four-year-old son, Austin.
“It’s pretty cool,” she said, referring to the parade and not the 30-degree temperature.
Austin said he like the parade and the candy.
About a dozen members of the Rager family from Dale were having a great time at the parade.
“We were coming whether it raining or snowing,” said Sharon Rager. “I was hoping for a nice parade, and we have not been disappointed.”
Carrie Rager, 12, said she liked the parade.
“There’s a lot of colorful lights flashing everywhere,” she said, adding that the music was great.
She said the Ferndale Area High School Band and the Pirates of the Caribbean float were tremendous.
The Saintz family from Benshoff Hill has made the parade a family tradition.
The 20 members of the family start the evening by having dinner at Scott’s By Dam lounge in Downtown Johnstown before grabbing their seats, said Becky Hobor.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world,” she said about the parade.
Cassie Crum, 8, and Kylie Ribblett, 9, both members of the Saintz family, said they were having a great time watching their friends march in the parade.
Johnstown police Capt. Andrew Frear said the size of the crowd was great and that the spectators were interested and upbeat.

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