Renowned bagpiper band blows into town for this year's Christmas Parade

Claddagh Mhor will be one of the featured bands playing at Rochester's Christmas Parade on Sunday. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - A Portland, Maine, bagpiper band, Shriners clowns and equestrians will provide some of the festive spectacle for Rochester's Christmas parade this Sunday.

The parade's theme this year is "Christmas Around the World" and at last count features some 75 entries and 25 floats, Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce CEO and President Laura Ring said on Wednesday.

This year's parade, underwritten by Service Credit Union, begins at 3 p.m. at Spaulding High and as usual will run down Wakefield and Union streets before turning onto North and South Main streets and ending at the Common.

Claddagh Mhor (pronounced More) is a renowned 30-member bagpiper band from Portland. It has all toured all over New England and in Great Britain.

Ring said there will also be three Spaulding High bands in addition to the bagpipers.

This year's parade grand marshals are the chamber's Citizen of the Year, Hoagy Higgins; Greg Hopkins, Noah Behrend and Jeremy Lovett of Business of the Year HBL Group LLC; and Julie Reynolds, executive director of Cornerstone VNA, Nonprofit of the Year.

Also featured in the parade are a Rochester Police honor guard, and of course, that right jolly old elf, St. Nick, himself.

Some 2,000 individuals participate in Rochester's Holiday Parade each year.

The parade also serves as a support mechanism for the Rochester Fire Department's annual Toy Bank campaign. Donations are now being sought for new, unwrapped toys and other gift items for local children in need from infant to age 14. Items may be dropped off prior to the parade at the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce office at 18 South Main Street in Rochester or at the Rochester Fire Department's downtown or Gonic stations.

For more information on the Rochester Firefighter's annual Toy Bank campaign, please contact the Rochester Fire Department at 603-335-7545.