Parade of Lights brings holiday magic to Medina

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 29 November 2014 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

MEDINA – A giant snowman makes its way down Main Street in a lighted float by MAK Plowing and Landscape in Medina. The 6th annual Parade of Lights included many businesses, civic groups and other organizations.

The parade drew a big crowd to downtown Medina as well as spectators along Park Avenue.

The floats received some last-minute setting up in the parking lot at the Olde Pickle Factory. 810 Meadworks, which celebrated its opening today, also debuted in the parade. The float is show in the Pickle Factory parking lot.

The Medina Transportation Association had a patriotic theme for its float. Several bus drivers marched down Main Street waving flags and dressed as soldiers while bus driver Mike Lyons dressed as Uncle Sam.

A school bus is decorated to look like a giant flag. The vehicle is the new bus for the marching band. Students submitted design ideas to bus drivers. Last year the bus drivers turned a bus into a pirate ship.

“We do it for the kids,” said Mike Lyons, one of the drivers. “Each year we try to do something.”

The Medina FFA created a float with a theme about toys that escaped. Many of the FFA members were dressed as presents. In the top of the float, Josh Wells is the Jack-In-The-Box. He is pictured with elves, Chantelle Kidney (left) and Abigail Maines, the FFA president.

The Orleans County Christian School participated in the parade and had several characters from Charlie Brown.

The Albion FFA had a Polar Express themed float. The newly formed Roy-Hart FFA also participated in the parade for the first time.

Matt Mundion of Matt C.M. Contracting created this float of the North Pole. Mundion made an igloo using scrap wood for a frame. That supported the fabric to give the igloo its white look. Mundion steered the igloo with a four-wheeler inside.

Regan Stacey and Tom Follman portray characters from the Frozen movie. They were featured on the float for Habitat for Humanity.

Dancing Derrick Bradley returned with the Weed Man from Albion.

A member of the Medina Marching Band performs for the crowd. Even his trombone was decorated for the occasion.

The Medina Fire Department has its ladder truck decked out for the parade. Several other fire companies joined in the parade.

East Shelby firefighters, including fire chief Mike Fuller (right), dressed as reindeer for the parade.

Orleans Hub will post more photos from the parade tomorrow.