At 10 a.m., marching bands, floats, and other parade participants marched down Mathis and Prescott avenues onto Center Street downtown under foggy conditions. The temperature at the city’s airport was 48 degrees.
WUSA-TV anchor Annie Yu served as parade grand marshall, while Manassas Rotary President Cheryl Macias was honored as Woman of the Year. Businessman and owner of Manassas Limousine Service, the former Baker Funeral Home, Cliff Blasius, was Man of the Year.
Community photographer Mike Beaty documented the parade and took hundreds of photos. See them here.
More than 100 groups participated in the parade. Here are the winners, as decided by the parade judges.
Chairman’s Award
Mayfield Intermediate School
The parade is the traditional start to Christmastime festivities in the city and was preceded by the annual “Santa Lights Manassas” event on Friday, Dec. 1, 2023. Each year, Santa and Mrs. Claus deboard a Virginia Railway Express train at the city’s downtown station, greet thousands of onlookers, and light the city’s Christmas Tree.
Here are Beaty’s photos of this year’s event.
