Are There Any Binghamton Area Holiday Parades This Year? Yes and No

UPDATE (11/29/21): In addition to the Village of Endicott holiday parade Saturday, December 4th at 4 pm, you can also enjoy a few other holiday parades in the Southern Tier including the Chabad of Binghamton Grand Car Menorah Parade beginning at Hawley and Washington Streets in Downtown Binghamton Thursday, December 2 at 7 pm, Harpursville on Saturday, December 4th beginning at 12 Noon, Village of Windsor on Friday, December 10th at 6:30 pm, and West Windsor on Saturday, December 11th beginning at 11 am.

Well, that headline is sure a definitive answer. Would you expect anything less from me? Of course not.

I have to admit, we love a parade. We love being in parades, and it's been a while since we've been a part of any local parade. I think the last parade The Whale was in, was the St.Patrick's Day Parade back in March of 2020. Fortunately, this week, it was announced that the St. Patrick's Day Parade will return in 2022, and that's great news.

The 2020 St. Patrick's Day Parade barely made it through as the pandemic became a big deal right after. Since then, we lost our annual Halloween Parade, the Columbus Day Tournament of Bands Parade, the Binghamton, Endicott, and Johnson City Holiday Parades, and this past spring's St. Patrick's Day Parade.

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It was nice to see the Columbus Day Tournament of Bands Parade return last month in Binghamton. I am not aware of any local Veteran's Day Parade, so check with your local government or American Legion for any information.

Although, through a press release, the Veterans of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, and peacetime have invited Veterans of Modern Warfare of Desert Storm, Iraq, and Afghanistan for a Welcome Home on Veteran's Day beginning at 11 am. It will be at the Glenn A. Warner Memorial Hall of Post 1371 Veterans of Foreign Wars. The public is invited to attend.

As for the three annual holiday parades, we checked with representatives from Boscov's, who in past years have organized the Binghamton Holiday Parade, and they informed us that the parade would be canceled for this year. It's normally held on the Saturday just before Thanksgiving, and it's a nice kick-off to the holiday season. Not this year.

Contacting officials from the Village of Johnson City, we were informed that their parade was also canceled this year. This parade for many years was held in the evening and brought out all kinds of holiday lights on floats, vehicles, and other parade participants. I will miss this parade, but maybe it will return next year.

So, even though Binghamton and Johnson City won't be holding their annual holiday parade, the Village of Endicott is all set to go. The Endicott Holiday Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony will be held Saturday, December 4th beginning at 4 pm on Washington Avenue. Looking forward to a great, fun parade this year in Endicott!