photo by: Eric Ayres

Santa Claus makes his grand entrance at the end of the Main Street Bank Fantasy in Light Parade in Center Wheeling Friday night, officially declaring the start of the holiday season.

WHEELING — The holiday season in the Ohio Valley kicked off in a soggy yet celebratory fashion Friday night when the Main Street Bank Fantasy in Lights Parade traversed the streets of the Friendly City.

As weather forecasters predicted, the annual parade was met with a steady drizzle of cold rain that began right around the same time the procession stepped off from Centre Market. The relentless raindrops seemed to almost turn to slushy snowflakes about halfway through the parade, but the precipitation remained more wet than frosty.

Nonetheless, hordes of festive parade watchers lined the streets to check out the parade — an annual holiday event presented by the Wheeling Area Chamber of Commerce that for many decades has signaled the official start to the holiday season in the valley.

U.S. Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., served as this year’s grand marshal for the Main Street Bank Fantasy in Lights Parade.

“It was great to be back in the Northern Panhandle to kick off the holiday season,” Capito said. “As a Northern Panhandle native, I have so many happy memories of my own family traditions here in this community, especially around Christmas time. It’s always great to see families, especially young children, come out to see the parades and lights and enjoy the community we all share as West Virginians.

“This is a great tradition to kick off the holiday season, and I was proud to play a role in such a wonderful event as the parade’s grand marshal.”

Despite the challenging weather, die-hard revelers of all ages seemed eager to tough it out and take in all the holiday sights and sounds the 100-unit parade had to offer. While some families waited for their loved one’s unit to pass, took pictures and videos, and then promptly dipped out of the chilly rain, others were happy to hunker down and watch the parade all the way to its big finish.

Cheyanne and Richard Weir of Rayland were gathered on Main Street along with several family members – from young children to adult siblings and grandparents.

“Our daughter’s in the Buckeye Local High School Band playing the drums,” Cheyanne Weir said. “We’ll probably stay the whole time. This is actually my first year here.”

Because of the ongoing work associated with the West Virginia Division of Highways’ $35 million Downtown Streetscape Project, this year’s parade once again was relocated to Center Wheeling. Taking a shorter route from the Center Market area, down 24th Street and then heading north up Main Street past the offices of the parade title sponsor Main Street Bank, the procession took the same detour this year as it did last year.

However, the Streetscape project is expected to be completed next year, and officials said they are looking forward to the parade’s return to its traditional route through the newly renovated downtown streets.

“This is the abbreviated edition,” said Wheeling Mayor Denny Magruder, who took part in his first parade as the city’s top executive riding along with fellow city council members on a float. “Next year, you’ll be able to compare it to the grand parade that we’re going to have as we celebrate downtown with the completion of the Streetscape.”

Scores of high school marching bands from both sides of the Ohio River, dance units, and floats for a myriad of local businesses and organizations were represented among the parade units – all of which helped spread holiday joy and the spirit of Christmas.

Anchoring the parade as always – making his grand arrival right behind the Wheeling Park High School Marching Band – was jolly old St. Nick himself. Scores of children clamored to get a glimpse of Santa Claus as he stopped in front of the Main Street Bank Christmas tree and stepped down off his float with his elves for a brief live TV interview.

Santa finished his duties for the night by initiating a countdown and tossing a fistful of his magic dust onto the tree to help light it. Unfortunately, the steady rain apparently short circuited those plans – as the lights on the tree failed to illuminate. Despite the glitch, Santa still declared that the holiday season was officially underway.

Wheeling’s next big holiday gathering will take place Tuesday night at the Plaza on Market, when the city’s rescheduled annual Winter on the Plaza will take place. Santa’s magic dust will have a second chance to light a tree – this time in Market Plaza. Festivities there kick off at 5:30 p.m.