Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Before they ventured down Park Avenue and emerged on Main Street in downtown Medina, the floats for the Parade of Lights gathered in the parking lot at the Olde Pickle Factory.

It was a spectacular site, seeing about 50 floats altogether. All of the entries showed a lot of spirit and many were very creative.

I thought the fleet of reindeer, with Rudolph as the leader, was particularly good. It looked like a bunch of real reindeer with a red-nosed Rudolph. Matt C.M. Contracting created this float.

I took the pre-parade photos with a SmartPhone. Some of them are a little fuzzy, including this one of East Shelby firefighters, with Fire Chief Mike Fuller in the front. I wanted to use it on the Orleans Hub because it shows the spirit and willingness of the participants to put on a good parade.

The Town of Oakfield joined Medina’s parade, one of several participants from outside Medina.

The Wildwood Lake KOA Campground in Medina was part of the Parade of Lights for the first time.

These parade participants have a few things to go over before heading out on the parade route.

Albion FFA members created a float with a Grinch and Whoville theme.

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Albion FFA had a Grinch and Whoville themed float. Adam Krenning, the club advisor and agriculture teacher, dressed as the Grinch and drove the tractor.

The Town Clerks Association of Orleans County joined the Parade of Lights for the first time tonight. Shelby Town Clerk Darlene Rich, left, greets the crowd from the lighted display.

MEDINA – More than 50 community groups created floats and decorated them in brilliant glowing colors for the fifth annual Parade of Lights in Medina.

The event was a dazzling display that left many folks, including myself, awestruck. There was an enormous crowd of people along Main Street and a line of people along Park Avenue. Many of them were in lawn chairs.

The parade included several new entries. It keeps growing and getting better each year.

Stanton Signs put a friendly face at the end of its float.

Habitat for Humanity makes its way down Main Street with its lighted float.

The Medina Transportation Association turned a 15-passenger bus into a pirate ship as part of their float.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Dancing Derrick Bradley was part of the Weed Man display from Albion.

The Master Gardeners joined the parade with a “Hoe, Hoe, Hoe” themed float.

The Abominable Snowman was one of the stars of the Roberts Farm Market float.

One of the fire trucks has a giant glowing Mickey Mouse at the back as it heads down Main Street through a big crowd in downtown Medina.

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – Santa Claus arrived in Medina today by horse-drawn carriage. He was led into town in a mini-parade down Main Street with a band, color guard and elves.

Kathy Blackburn, president of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, dressed as an elf and helped direct children in costumes through the downtown business district.

Santa rode in the carriage with Ben Root, 2 ½ of Medina. He won the award for best-dressed elf. Ben is the son of Patrick and Jennifer Root. Ben also was the first one to sit with Santa in the Medina Theater Company. Ben is pictured in his award-winning outfit with Santa, who is scheduled for photos with children from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Santa will help light the Christmas display in Rotary Park at 5:30.

The parade of lights will be at 6 p.m. More events are also on the schedule. For more information, click here.

Outfits included tutus, Santa hats and other holiday spirit

Photos by Tom Rivers – Mercedes Houseman of Oakfield, left, and Debbie Tompkins of Medina are in the home stretch of the first Home for the Holidays 5K this morning. The race ended on Main Street by the American Legion.

Patty Hastreiter of Lancaster sprints to the finish line in the 5K. She also ran the Turkey Trot in Buffalo on Thursday. Her sister-in-law, Cindy Robinson, organized today’s race with her husband Jim Robinson.

MEDINA – The first Home for the Holidays 5k attracted 85 runners this morning in Medina. Many of the participants ran in Santa hats, jingle bells and other outrageous outfits, including tutus.

Race organizer Cindy Robinson was pleased with the turnout for the first race. She wants it to become an annual tradition, a kickoff to Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas celebration that continues until 11 p.m. today.

Robinson has seen how a holiday-themed race can become a major draw. Seneca Falls started the “It’s A Wonderful Life 5K” in 2009. Last year it attracted 2,000 participants to the small village that was used for the classic film starring Jimmy Stewart.

“For the first race I’m thrilled,” Robinson said. “We can build on this and make it better.”

Many of the runners in this morning’s 5-kilometer race were dressed for the holidays. This group includes, from left: Stephanie Hill of Medina, John Ritter Jr. of Pembroke, Jennifer Pritchett of Basom, Katy Owczarczak of Medina and Sharon Koszuta of Akron.

The fastest runners were awarded prizes for completing the 5K course. Robinson wants to add prizes in the future for best costumes.

The race attracted many participants from outside Medina. Robinson is hopeful that the race will bring people to the community who will stick around for more events as part of Medina’s Old Tyme Christmas. (Click here for the schedule.)

I heard people exclaim about the beautiful course along the canal. The only complaint: It was a little slippery for some of the runners. But everyone seemed in good spirits.

“It was fun and we wanted to do it for the first year,” said Sharon Koszuta of Akron. “We want to support running events.”

Gary Lantinen, 58, of Gasport is all alone and ahead of the pack while running along the towpath next to a frozen Erie Canal. He won today’s race with a time of 20:36.

Stephanie Schmidt of Sanborn finishes in 21:19, the fastest time for all of the women runners.

MEDINA – Medina’s “Old Tyme Christmas” celebration on Saturday is being promoted by Greater Niagara Region USA as an alternative “to the chaotic mall scene.”

The tourism promotion agency is urging people to spend Saturday in Medina to see a parade of lights at 6 p.m. and numerous other activities that make for a “nostalgia-filled adventure.”

“Welcome the arrival of Santa, indulge in holiday delicacies, enjoy children’s activities and experience the festive lights as Medina greets the holidays,” the tourism agency proclaims.

The group touts the historic charm of Medina’s downtown business district, which includes many buildings from the 1800s with shops run by local merchants rather than chain stores.

“Medina escaped the ‘urban renewal’ craze of the 60’s, and its commercial district boasts locally owned stores and eateries,” according to the Greater Niagara tourism organization.

To see the group’s news release about Medina and Old Tyme Christmas, click here.