Santa and Mrs. Claus waved to the crowd from their 1918 Buick Touring Car on German Street Saturday morning. Toni Milbourne

SHEPHERDSTOWN — A sunny winter morning was the perfect setting for the return of the Shepherdstown Christmas Parade. Spectators lined German Street to watch as 67 entries made their way through the parade route, many tossing candy and all waving and sharing holiday greetings.

Organized by the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown since 2014, the parade has an even longer history in the town.

“It has been a tradition long before the Rotary took over the organization,” said Peter Smith who is the parade’s chief volunteer organizer.

According to a fellow parade volunteer of many years, Smith’s work makes a huge different on the success of the parade.

“Peter Smith is magical. He begins organizing months in advance,” said Holly Frye, adding that for her part, she recruits approximately 10-12 volunteers to assist in lining up the entries.

The Jefferson High School Band was a definite crowd favorite on Saturday morning. Toni Milbourne

“For such a small town to have so much magic happen in two blocks is astounding to me,” Frye said. “The best part is witnessing the wide variety of people who come together and talk, laugh [and] share, all while preparing to walk in our two-block parade.”

Entries lined up for several blocks, waiting their turn to rotate onto German Street and begin the walk toward McMurran Hall, where Master of Ceremonies Hans Fogle introduced each of them.

Leading off the parade was the Jefferson High School Air Force JROTC Color Guard. The Shepherd University Ram Band fell immediately in line behind the JROTC, having a bit of an extra spring in their step, as their football team had just competed in a championship game in Pennsylvania — a game they won in the final seconds.

Spectators cheered the bands from Shepherd, Jefferson High School and Shepherdstown Middle School, as they all performed holiday tunes. Also receiving cheers were the Dogs of Shepherdstown and the New Market-Middletown Valley Hounds group, which encompassed hounds and horses. Animals in the parade and on the sidelines, always tend to draw attention from parade attendees.

Service organizations such as the Shepherdstown Kiwanis Club, the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce, the Shepherdstown Community Club and, of course, the Rotary Club of Shepherdstown, could be seen marching along the parade route, along with scout troops, church groups and several pageant queens, including Shepherd University student, Miss West Virginia Jaelyn Wratchford.

A child walks up to a penguin in the Shepherdstown Christmas Parade and gives him a fist bump on Saturday morning. Toni Milbourne

As the parade neared its conclusion, an apparatus from the Shepherdstown Volunteer Fire Department rolled through the streets just ahead of a 1918 Buick Touring Car carrying Santa and Mrs. Claus, who received squeals of joy from youngsters along the way.

“I heard from several people that they believed this was the best ever Christmas parade,” Frye said.

It was clear that those who turned out to witness the return of the parade, after its 2020 COVID-19 cancellation, were thrilled by the experience.

Laughter and cheers from the crowd followed the Sofa Kings of Frederick, Md., as they road down German Street on their motorized couches, sofas and loveseats Saturday morning. Toni Milbourne