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Chilly Parade Launches Holiday Season in Raleigh |
 Temperatures in the 30’s made for a cold, but festive, Christmas Parade in Raleigh on Sat, Nov 22nd. |
The temperature hovered in the 30’s but that didn’t keep the crowds away from the WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade on Saturday, Nov 22nd. The event marked the coldest parade weather in 30 years. Crews set up in the wee hours to capture the event for viewers who chose to stay home by the fire.
For those brave enough to line the streets wrapped in blankets and armed with thermoses of hot chocolate, the parade didn’t disappoint. Over 123 floats, bands, bikers, cars and walkers, including several huge balloons made their way through the 1.2 mile route.
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Slideshows
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 The Knightdale High School Marching Band makes its way down Fayetteville Street. |
Major League Baseball Star Josh Hamilton served as grand marshal of the WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade. He hails from Athens Drive High School in Raleigh, and currently plays for the Texas Rangers.
WRAL-TV Anchors Bill Leslie, Lynda Loveland and Valonda Calloway emceed the event from their perch on the corner of Davie & Fayetteville Streets. Myriad other WRAL-TV personalities reported in from the street along with former WRAL-TV Trafficologist Mark Roberts. Seven cameras captured the action in high-definition.
WRAL-TV broadcast the parade live but will also replay the parade during the month of December on the WRAL NewsChannel. A special holiday presentation of the parade will air on WRAL-TV/WRAL-DT at 4pm on Christmas Day.
Happy Holidays!
 Santa Claus is always the guest of the honor, and the most awaited, at the end of the parade. |
 MIX 101.5 personalities wave to listeners as they roll down the route with Wool E. Bull. |
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 The Leesville Road Color Guard marches down the street. |
 Members of the WRAL-TV anchor team share the spirit of the season from their float as their own cameramen capture them for TV. |
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WRAL Raleigh Christmas Parade
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The 2008 WRAL-TV Raleigh Christmas Parade marches down Fayetteville Street on Saturday, Nov 22nd. -
The ROTC Color Guard help lead off the parade. -
The Student Safety Patrol from Raleigh City Schools. -
The color guard from the Needham Broughton High School Band in Raleigh. -
The Broughton High School Marching Band from Raleigh. -
The WRAL-TV Float makes its way through the parade route. -
Horses & their riders are decked out for the holidays. -
And the heroes of the parade...the pooper scoopers follow the horses. -
The crew from Capital Bank rides a frosty train. -
Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker & his wife, Anne, wave happily to the many folks who came out for the parade. -
The Leesville Road High School Band. -
Sheriff Donnie Harrison greets the crowd. -
These children don't mind the cold as they delight in the parade. -
Christmas Carollers of old entertain the crowd with singing. -
Children anxiously await the arrival of Santa Claus. -
A giant baseball floats by the watchers on this high balcony. -
Major League Baseball Star Josh Hamilton serves as Grand Marshall & rides proudly in the parade with his family. -
Performers from "A Christmas Carol" wave to the crowd. -
Queens & princesses are a staple of any parade. -
The Knightdale High School Marching Knights. -
The Wicked Stepmother rides atop the float for RLT's production of "Cinderella." -
Connie Cone represents the NC DOT. -
Mark Roberts gets a huge hug from his old buddy the Traffic Cone. -
Baton twirlers from the Carolina Academy of Twirling. -
Queen Victoria pays a visit to Raleigh. -
The Railhawks Dancers stay warm by dancing down the route. -
These librarians strut their stuff on the book cart drill team. -
The Bookmobile from Wake County Public Libraries follows up the book cart show. -
The children on this float are delighted to see WRAL-TV's Richard Adkins come over with his camera. -
Happy dancers revel in the excitement of the chilly morning. -
The Looney Tunes delight the children in the crowd, and adults, too! -
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A giant snowman floats like a snowflake through the parade route. -
The giant snowman looms towards WRAL-TV's Patrick Marrow's perch. -
Post 5's Carey Rudolph keeps the parade moving. -
The Sassy Classics Senior Rockettes are in perfect step as toy soldiers. -
The Green Hope High School Falcons' Color Guard -
It's been years since autos like this were frequently seen on Fayetteville Street. -
Little BMX riders keep up with the big guys. -
The Wake-Forest Rolesville Marching Cougars color guard -
Antique cars are decked for the season. -
The Wake Med float features a festive star. -
Little parade goers are on the alert for Santa. -
Stormy & Ron the Ref represent the Canes at the parade. -
A stream of red tractors motor down the lane. -
Even Snoopy's Hot Dogs participates in the parade. -
The crew from MIX 101.5 floats by. -
Wool E. Bull is full of holiday cheer and good health as he wears his Blue Cross Blue Shield Christmas suit. -
Mark Roberts gets set to interview MIX 101.5's Sheri Logan. -
This giant penguin makes his way down Fayetteville in his parade finest. -
Even the smallest cheerleaders march like champs in the parade. -
The Chick-fil-a Cow has tons of friends with her on their float. -
Is Santa being replaced by a cow? -
Southeast Raleigh High School Marching Band -
Southeast Raleigh High School Marching Band -
The Middle Creek High School Marching Band from Apex. -
This giant ornament is one of four balloons in the parade. -
Even the Grinch is full of the spirit for the Christmas Parade. -
The Helping Hand Mission Marching Band gets into the spirit. -
NC Ag Commissioner Steve Troxler rides in style in this giant grocery cart. -
A boat floats down the parade route. -
The Cary High School Band color guard -
Santa Claus, the most anticipated celebrity of the day, closes the 2008 WRAL Raleigh Christmas Parade.
WRAL Raleigh Christmas Parade – Behind the Scenes
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WRAL-TV's Stuart Todd (left) & Tony Gupton smile knowing the anchors will soon be in these freezing seats. -
WRAL-TV's Pete Sockett keeps the engineering part of the production together. -
WRAL-TV's Pete Sockett (right) "directs" the "replacements." -
WRAL-TV's Patrick Marrow drew the short straw & gets sent up to brave the cold on the boom. -
Could these be the new faces of WRAL-TV? Crew members James Farmer (l to r), Stuart Todd & Tony Gupton fill in for the anchors during the camera adjustments. -
These WRAL crew members take a quick break from a morning in the cold before heading out to do the parade coverage. -
WRAL-TV's Tony Patterson (left) & Michelle McNeil grab a last cup of java before heading back into the cold again. -
WRAL-TV's Rod Martin (center) gets final instructions before it's a go. -
Preparations for the final rehearsal are under way. -
WRAL-TV's Phyllis Parish takes her seat as she prepares to executive produce the parade coverage as it happens. -
The nuts & bolts of the WRAL production are all set and ready to go. -
WRAL-TV's Crystal Woods (left) & Danielle Tibbets are ready for the cold. -
The production truck...where WRAL actually creates the program viewers see at home. -
The WRAL crew who'd been getting coffee early prove that they really are working at the parade. -
WRAL-TV's Greg Clark will man one of seven cameras that capture the parade for WRAL viewers. -
WRAL-TV's Keith Baker gets his camera set. -
WRAL-TV's Charles Braswell helps the cameraman adjust their white balance. -
Former WRAL-TV crew member Raymond Farrar comes back to help out with the coverage. -
WRAL-TV's Randy Mews, director of WRAL's parade coverage (center), gives the police a few final directions about parade flow as WRAL-TV's Richard Adkins (right) captures them on camera. -
WRAL-TV's new VP & GM Steve Hammel (right) shows support for his staff as he has a chilly chat with Pete Sockett. -
WRAL-TV's Mike Mory is all smiles despite the bitter cold. -
WRAL-TV's Lynda Loveland (l to r), Bill Leslie & Valonda Calloway take their very cold seats as coverage is about to begin. -
WRAL-TV's Mike Upchurch is all concentration as the parade coverage gets set to roll. -
WRAL-TV's Tim King gets set to send the camera boom up in the air. -
WRAL-TV's Patrick Marrow gives the okay that's he's ready to go airborne. -
The coldest job at the parade... -
Guest reporter Mark Roberts revs up the crowd before the floats arrive. -
WRAL-TV's Michelle McNeil gets set for the hardest part of the parade coverage: wrangling Mark Roberts. -
WRAL-TV's Richard Adkins runs out for a close up as the parade begins. -
Raymond Farrar (foreground) captures the parade on the ground while WRAL-TV's Patrick Marrow covers it from above. -
The WRAL-TV Anchors wave to fans from the Big 5's float. -
Mark Roberts conducts a quick interview with WRAL-TV's Greg Fishel as the float moves by. -
WRAL-TV Anchors Erin Coleman (r to l), Debra Morgan & Gerald Owens happily wave to parade goers & fans. -
Post 5's Carey Rudolph helps direct traffic for the WRAL coverage. -
WRAL-TV's Richard Adkins even dives in front of ponies to get the perfect angle. -
WRAL-TV's Keith Baker stays close to the action. -
Mark Roberts hops up on the WRAL-FM float to catch a word with MIX 101.5's Sheri Logan for the broadcast.
