Winners Of Bel Air Christmas Parade 2021 Announced

BEL AIR, MD — The Bel Air Christmas Parade held Sunday downtown blanketed Main Street with onlookers, who watched as horses, scouts, dancers, band members and others coursed through town, spreading holiday cheer.

Bel Air Christmas Parade Chair Michael Blum on Monday announced the parade winners, which he said were determined by a panel of anonymous judges. In all, nearly 70 groups participated in the 2021 parade, Blum said.

"This year’s weather was of course just about perfect, and the energy, joy, happiness and sheer bliss of the spectators of all ages was wonderful to see," Blum said in a letter to the community, which is published in full at the end of the article. "The size of the crowd was tremendous — certainly one of the largest ever! In these days of doubt, worry, fear and sometimes bad feelings, it’s revivifying to see such support and community togetherness! We are lucky to live in such an area, and to have such citizens turn out. Bel Air is indeed a wonderful, family-friendly place, and it's events like this that make that clearly apparent to all."

For the second consecutive year, Blum said the Aberdeen Marching Eagles won the best in parade.

Here are the winners, according to Blum:

• Best in Parade: Aberdeen High School Marching Eagles band, directed by Kaitlyn Whitman
• Second Place: Girl Scouts Service Unit #674
• Third Place: Hoppin’ Hawks Jump Rope Team

These earned honorable mentions: Bel Air Dance Academy, Silver Eagle Cloggers and the Gunpowder Mill Racers bicycle unit.

Here is a letter from Blum to the community, entitled: "THANK YOU FOR THE PARADE!"

On behalf of the Town of Bel Air, I want to thank the greater Bel Air community for its wonderful attendance and support of the 31st Bel Air Christmas Parade and Christmas Celebration held on Sunday, December 5, 2021.

This year’s weather was of course just about perfect, and the energy, joy, happiness and sheer bliss of the spectators of all ages was wonderful to see. The size of the crowd was tremendous — certainly one of the largest ever! In these days of doubt, worry, fear and sometimes bad feelings, it’s revivifying to see such support and community togetherness! We are lucky to live in such an area, and to have such citizens turn out. Bel Air is indeed a wonderful, family-friendly place, and it's events like this that make that clearly apparent to all.

The parade includes many different kinds of units, from marching bands to walking dogs, and this year’s parade included many very elaborate and creative floats and units. Overall, the Bel Air Christmas Parade is all about KIDS. Hundreds of kids aged from toddlers through teenagers participated in it and many more watched it. To see their commitment, organization, dedication and wonderful good spirits made me, for one, very, very optimistic about the future of our community and of our nation. And I want to thank their parents and families for supporting these wonderful children!

Special thanks must go to the many hard-working volunteers who put the entire celebration together, especially including hard-working volunteer National Honor Society member students from Bel Air High School under the leadership of Ms. Kelly Blackburn. Adult volunteers included Annette Blum, Aaron Cahall, Elise Gerard, Trish Heidenreich, Patti Parker, Julia Potler, Angela Robertson, David Williams, Hope Yamagata and Stephanie Zahn. Dina Boebel and Trish Heidenreich decorated the Reviewing Stand, which was provided courtesy of Harford County Parks & Recreation.

Special thanks also go to the Town of Bel Air Commissioners Kevin M. Bianca, Chair and Mayor; Donna L. Kahoe, Vice-Chair; and Mary F. Chance, Paula S. Etting and Erin S. Hughes — without whose support this event could not occur!

The Bel Air Christmas Celebration is a function of the Town of Bel Air Economic Development, Trish Heidenreich, Economic Development Director; and of the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, Jenny Falcone, Executive Director. Local business major sponsors included overall “Parade Sponsor” Patient First, Main Street Tower Restaurant, Zips Dry Cleaning, Safe Harbors Travel, Harford Mutual Insurance Company, BCV Commercial Realty, J.E.T. Seal Services, Tar Heel Construction, Jones Junction Auto Dealerships, Noorani Orthodontics, Corbin Fuel Company, Sunny Day Cafe, Music Land, Klein’s ShopRite of Maryland and Har-Co Credit Union. Sponsor Banners were carried by members of Cub Scout Pack 777, a great group of kids from all over the Bel Air area from 1st grade to 5th grade, directed by Hope Yamagata and her hard-working family.

The event also relied on the Town of Bel Air Administration, led by Town Manager Jesse Bane, the Bel Air Police Department, led by Chief of Police Chuck Moore and Sgt. James Farrell, and the Bel Air Department of Public Works, led by Stephen Kline, Director, and his hard-working corps, especially including Harry Marr, who was in charge of all DPW efforts on December 5.

Special thanks also goes to our local high school bands in the parade, from Aberdeen High School, Bel Air High School, C. Milton Wright High School, Edgewood High School, Fallston High School, Harford Technical High School, the John Carroll School, Joppatowne High School, North Harford High School and Patterson Mill High School.

The parade featured almost 70 different units. Parade judges, who are anonymous, awarded BEST IN PARADE to the Aberdeen High School Marching Eagles band, under the direction of Kaitlyn Whitman. This was the second consecutive BEST IN PARADE honor for Aberdeen! Second place was Girl Scouts Service Unit #674. Third place was the Hoppin’ Hawks Jump Rope Team. Honorable Mentions were Bel Air Dance Academy, Silver Eagle Cloggers and the Gunpowder Mill Racers bicycle unit.

Kristy Breslin of WJZ-TV was the Master of Ceremonies, narrating the parade from the Reviewing Stand, and BAPD Officer Rick Krause narrated the post-parade concert from the Shamrock Park Bandshell. Members of the Downtown Alliance served hot chocolate and cookies to the crowd, while the Bel Air Community Band, in its first bandshell performance in 21 months, serenaded the crowd with Christmas music, conducted by Richard Hauf in his debut as Community Band leader. A bonfire was tended by Jay Van Deusen with the help of Bel Air DPW workers, who contributed 31 pallets and stood by with the water truck! At 4:50 pm, there was the traditional "tree lighting," created by the Town of Bel Air Public Works Department.

On a personal note, I want to thank the Town of Bel Air for having the heart and sensitivity to mount such a celebration. The Holiday Season, whether one celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, or any other holiday, is one of joy, and is the time to celebrate light, life and family, and to give to charity and to the community. It is the season of hope, birth and rebirth, and of the fellowship and community of humankind.

As the days grow dark and cold, we illuminate and warm our lives by the love we share through events like this. We look forward to the return of light, warmth and growth, both physical and spiritual, in the New Year, and we pray for peace for us, for our community, and for all humanity.

Yours most sincerely,

Michael Blum
Parade Chairman
Bel Air Christmas Celebration 2021