Saturday afternoon’s Gloucester Citizens Christmas and Holiday Parade was a success even with the chance of rain during the day. The community gathered by 3 p.m. along on Main Street with smiles and laughter as people crowded the streets in Christmas-themed apparel.

“It seems that every year we say this, but it felt like a bigger turnout than usual,” said parade director Katey Legg. “I’m the emcee for the parade, so I don’t get to see all of Main Street, but when I go back and look through pictures, it amazes me how many people turn out for a hometown parade. We’re really blessed to be able to give these types of events to the community and appreciate how much everyone enjoys them. Being a big part of kicking off the holiday season is heartwarming for us.”

To kick off the parade, DARE Officer, Deputy Amanda Billups cruised down Main Street in her DARE car. The crowd roared when grand marshals Gary and Karen Ward waved and passed out candy to the crowd. The Wards are restaurateur...