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Dare County dancers from the Fessenden Center. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo

Froggy Dog’s first place entry. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo

Frisco firefighters hand out sweet treats. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo

Hatteras Island Girl Scouts took third place. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo

The Blue Whale float at the 2019 Hatteras parade. Mary Helen Goodloe-Murphy photo

On Saturday, Dec. 14, Hatteras village Christmas parade organizers insisted the rain would stop and the skies would clear by parade time.

Sure enough, organizers called it right. The parade jumped off from the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum at 2 p.m. under cloudy skies. Midway through the parade, the sun broke through the clouds.

The roadway was slightly damp and in places, rainwater filled travel lanes. Because of the dampness, most givers of candy walked beside parade entries and handed, instead of tossed sweet treats from buckets.

As is tradition in this parade, the Dare County Sheriff leads the parade. The 2019 parade was the tenth year Sheriff Doug Doughtie has set the pace.

Next up is the Conner’s Supermarket family. The grocery store entry is long familiar. Family members ride in a green 1959 Willys Jeep Wagon, “the original SUV.” The vehicle was used by business-founder John Conner Sr. to drive to the beach to fish. The family has been in the grocery business on Hatteras Island for over 60 years.

Winning displays were announced at the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum, which hosted Holidays on Hatteras. From noon on, activities abounded at the museum with volunteers overseeing cookie decorating and a scavenger hunt, serving up potato soup, chili, punch and cookies, and providing a venue for local musicians and vocalists to bring holiday cheer.

First and second place awards went to newcomers to the parade, which is sponsored by the Hatteras Village Civic Association.

Winning first place was a dual entry from Froggy Dog Restaurant and Pub and Island Time Muffins and Scones. The display featured a dancing frog, live music and a home scene with Christmas tree and Santa going down a chimney. Over 500 cookies were baked, frosted and wrapped up in special bags and handed out along the parade route. Inside was a card for a free coffee at Island Time. The first place prize is $500.

Under Pressure Dive Boat captured second. The display featured two little runabout toys, a shark atop a van, pulling a treasure chest and diver and flying a dive flag. An octopus and two more sharks walked the route. The prize is $300.

The Girl Scouts won third place with a winter wonderland with a candy cane theme. The Girl Scouts entry always has great participation in the parade. Once again, the display was filled with excited scouts from Hatteras Island. The prize was $200.

For the first time, the judges awarded an Honorable Mention. The Cape Hatteras Secondary Marching Band won the special category and $150. The band marches third in the parade.

The golf cart category was won by Hatteras Winds, which was awarded $100. Linda Sue Boehmer played her flute along the entire parade route.

Other entries included young, energetic dancers from the Fessenden Center, Fair Haven United Methodist church, the Cape Hatteras National Seashore with three lighthouses, a turtle, a surf fisherman and a superintendent (Dave Hallac), the Village Market in Hatteras, the Cape Hatteras Secondary baseball team, which raised $1,096 to purchase toys for children, the electric vehicle from Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative (members can test drive the vehicle), the Blue Whale in Salvo, the Lawn Guy and horses, including the last banker pony, which has participated in all 28 Hatteras village Christmas parades. Firefighters from all five volunteer fire departments on Hatteras Island brought trucks and lots of candy. Members of the Hatteras Island Rescue Squad and Hatteras Island’s Community Emergency Response Team participated and brought equipment.

The last entry in the parade always comes from Hatteras Volunteer Fire Department. This year Santa rode on the department’s great big ladder truck.

Plan to attend next year. The Hatteras Village Christmas Parade is always at 2 p.m. on the second Saturday in December. In 2020, that’s Dec. 12.

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