McLean's Only Community Parade Attracts A Crowd Downtown

Nearly 50 groups paraded down Chain Bridge Road Sunday afternoon to applause and squeals of onlookers as part of McLean's only community parade.

The Bozeman family who moved to McLean 10 months ago set up their lawn chairs in front of the Langley Shopping Center for a curbside view of the hour-long Winterfest parade that included the Fairfax County Sheriffs department, the McLean High School marching band, the American Legion, Rotary, the Old Firehouse Teen Center and, of course, Santa.

They were among moms, dads, grandparents, kids and friends who lined the parade route generally in front of the shopping center for the fourth annual Winterfest parade.

Unrecognizable in the parade were Karen and Dan Duval, who as the Grand Marshals for the parade dressed up as the feathered mascots (yes we have the pictures)  for this year's parade. Yes, these are the same Duvals who own Salona, McLean's most historic home.

Among the onlookers were Mike Roche of McLean and his daughters. "We were coming to play basketball at Franklin Sherman School when we saw the street was closed," he said. "The girls demanded that we stop and watch," he said referring to daughters Megan, 8 and Carly, 6, who beamed.

Chris Williams, of McLean, and son Samuel, 7, were there because "My daughter is in the Brownies. We have been coming every year. It keeps getting bigger and better every year."

For Julia Walker, a Langley student, who accompanied her mom Robin, this was her first parade:"I thought it was fun. The floats were really cool."

Mom Robin, a member of the Winterfest Steering committee and the McLean Community Center Board said: "I'm glad that more people are coming out to see this wonderful event."

Homer Johns, one of the founders of the parade and a past chief of the McLean Fire Department, said they created the parade "to bring the community together."

He said many McLean residents "don't know what's going on in their community."

Glenn Yarborough, commander of the American Legion Post, said he was thrilled that the American Legion float featured two past American Legion commanders, both now in their 80's --Len Holmberg and Tom Lukas.

Chris Dorr of McLean who brought the whole family, his other Florence, daughter Elaine and son Christopher, said, "We've been coming to the parade every year. We started when our son was in the Cub Scouts. It's a nice little small town parade.