By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Uptowne Galion had the Christmas spirit Saturday for the Come Home to Galion festivities celebrated throughout the city.
Lasting until slightly after sunset, Come Home to Galion featured numerous activities that were fun for almost anyone. For the history buffs, the Galion Historical Society held an open house. For Star Wars fans, the Gill House was the destination. With horse carriage rides outside, the inside of the Galion Public Library went tropical for the day with a Polynesian theme.
The event that drew the most people however, was the Come Home to Galion parade. The parade marched and drove its way through Uptowne Galion. Featuring entities from the city as well as the county, the Come Home to Galion Parade was rounded out by the jovial one from the North Pole. Santa Claus, who made his third appearance in Crawford County in as many weeks, arrived into town on a sleigh carried on a flatbed trailer driven by a pickup truck.
Taking her daughter Addy and her niece Ella to the Parade, Melanie Schaffner explained what she enjoyed most about Come Home to Galion.
“We did a little bit of the music and performances ahead of time and got here about a half hour ahead of time,” Schaffner said. “We go to Grace Point Free Methodist so seeing some of our kids and adults participating in the parade for the kid-venture float, and Santa of course.”
“I enjoyed the fire trucks and the dogs in the parade,” Ella added.
“I loved the fire trucks and Santa,” Addy added.
Maria Murray took her son Joseph Boyd to the parade. Boyd explained what he enjoyed most in the parade.
“This is his first time seeing this, and I thought he would like it,” Murray added. “Other than the parade we rode the horse carriages.”
“I liked the fire truck and ambulance, they help people,” Boyd said. “The horse and carriages were a little scary at first, but I got over it.”
Singing both prior to the parade and after throwing the switch on the lights for the Christmas tree, was the 2015 Miss Ohio, Sarah Hider. Hider explained that even as a former Miss Ohio she still travels to different festivals in the state.
“It was really fun, and it is such an honor to be the past Miss Ohio and still be asked to come back and do these sort of things,” Hiler said. “I think it is a testament to the friendships and relationships that every girl who is Miss Ohio gets to make while she is traveling the state that I still get people calling me and asking me come sing and do things so it is really great.”
Hider noted what she did during Come Home to Galion
“I did mostly singing, and watched the parade, and had some delicious soup,” Hider said. “I walked in a few stores and did some Christmas shopping as well.”
Hider spoke about her favorite part of the parade.
“I loved seeing the band,” Hider said. “I was in the band in high school, so of course I love seeing a good marching band.”
Watching their daughter Allison in the parade was Ryan and Sherri Sheriff. Allison won the coloring contest as a kindergartner.
“I enjoyed watching my daughter riding through,” Sherri said.
“I enjoyed Pastor Ash,” Ryan said.
“I rode in the first car, the police car,” Allison said of her experience in the parade.
PHOTO GALLERY: Come Home to Galion Parade