Hopping Down the Bunny Trail: Shepherdstown Easter Parade celebrates holiday

The Easter Bunny leads the parade down German Street on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston
SHEPHERDSTOWN – Colorful tops hats, bunny ears and Easter dresses flooded German Street on Saturday morning, as community members joined the Shepherdstown Easter Parade and vied for prizes in their respective categories.
Directed by Kerry Asam, the annual parade featured seven categories: Best Toddler, Best Girl (four-and-over), Best Boy (four-and-over), Best Family, Best Lady, Best Man, Best Dog and Most Innovative.
“I begin the process of planning in January, because you need town council approval to block off German Street. And then I began soliciting donations,” Asam said, mentioning the donations were used to create the parade prizes.
According to Asam, this year’s parade entries were judged by the Rev. G.T. Schramm, of Trinity Episcopal Church, and Joy Lewis, the West Virginia Department of Commerce’s manager of business retention and expansion.
“It gives good will and encourages the celebration of the holiday,” Asam said of the parade. “We had really expensive prizes this year.”

A couple of babies dressed in bunny ears and Easter colors are wheeled down German Street, as one of the entries in the Shepherdstown Easter Parade on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston
Winners in 2019’s Shepherdstown Easter Parade include: Best Family Conant and Van Hilst, whose prize was from German Street Coffee and Candlery; Best Toddler Josephine Ward, whose prize was from Up On the Hill; Best Lady Jennifer May, whose prize was from Christian Caine; Best Man Jim Ketterman, whose prize was from Grapes and Grains Gourmet; Best Boy Jackson Ward, whose prize was a gift certificate to Two Rivers Treads; Best Girl Calliope Bennett, who also received a gift certificate to Two Rivers Treads; Best Dog Sparkey, whose gift was from German Street Coffee and Candlery; and the Most Innovative category was won by the Royal Fisher Cats, receiving a reward from Devonshire Arms.
“It’s wonderful,” said Mayor Jim Auxer, after walking in the parade. “I like all the parades we have, but the Easter Parade celebrates the beginning of spring.”
For Shepherdstown resident Tom Glennon, the parade has been an event his entire family has enjoyed participating in over the years.
“She’s been doing this for maybe 13 years – she likes to get attention. She won one year,” Glennon said, referring to his family’s poodle, Echo, whose collar was decorated with flowers.
Glennon’s collie, Charlie, also walks in the parade every year, and won the Best Dog category his first year.

Best Man Prize Winner Jim Ketterman walks down German Street with his dog. Tabitha Johnston
“I just think it’s a nice community thing, and shows how the community embraces dogs and kids,” Glennon said.
While many parade competitors had participated in previous years’ parades, some were joining in on the fun for the first time this year.
“We were just going to watch, but the girls wanted to decorate hats this year, so we jumped in,” said Leslie Douglas, of Harpers Ferry, about herself and her daughters. “I think it gives a good sense of community. It’s just fun, getting out, being active and having a good time. They had a blast!
“This is our third year coming to the parade. It’s the cutest thing,” Douglas said, mentioning one of the reasons the family keeps coming back every year. “Our first year in Harpers Ferry, we didn’t realize it was a short parade. My husband’s not the biggest fan of parades, but this is short and sweet.”
- A couple of babies dressed in bunny ears and Easter colors are wheeled down German Street, as one of the entries in the Shepherdstown Easter Parade on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston
- Best Man Prize Winner Jim Ketterman walks down German Street with his dog. Tabitha Johnston
- Shepherdstown Easter Parade girls category competitors showcase their Easter finery as they parade down German Street on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston

Shepherdstown Easter Parade girls category competitors showcase their Easter finery as they parade down German Street on Saturday morning. Tabitha Johnston