This weekend I was fortunate enough to be able to photograph the 2008 Stokesdale Christmas Parade. My goal for this project was to make you feel like you went to the parade. At least that is what I would attempt to do.

Before I decided to photograph the parade, I wanted to check with the parade organizers to make sure it was ok with them. I found Vicki White-Lawrence, the parade chairman, on the Stokesdale web site. I sent her an email telling her about me and what I wanted to do. She quickly responded. After checking with the city, she informed me I could take pictures, but not stop the progress of the parade. That worked for me so I was now set to go.

I decided I wanted to photograph Stokesdale at sunrise before the parade. That way the streets would be empty. I wanted to see what it would be like with no one on the street compared with the whole parade later that afternoon. It was a cool morning starting around 6:30 or so. I found a few sites which conveyed to me what the empty streets felt like on this cool morning. Once I was done, I headed home to warm up and recharge the camera batteries.

Around 11:00 AM, I made my way back to town and started photographing people constructing their floats and getting ready for the parade. I ran into a large number of people. Everyone was very friendly letting me take their photograph setting up their equipment. Thinking back on this I should have had some paper and pen ready to take down names of people and the groups they were with. When I get the opportunity to do something like this again, I will make sure I don’t forget.

I met with Vicki soon after I arrived to introduce myself and say hi. She was extremely busy, but took a few moments to talk with me. After that, I spent the next 3 hours or so looking for exciting photographs.

About an hour before the parade started, Rhonda found me while I was taking a break and sitting down on some steps. I originally thought she was going to spend the day practicing flying, but she decided she could not miss a once a year parade.  So after our brief break, I headed out to the crowds to talk with them and to photograph what they were up to.

At 2 PM the parade started. The streets were filled with a large number of people. More than I imagined. It was great. Everyone from everywhere. I photographed most of the floats and groups in the parade as well as the spectators.

The first thing I noticed was all of the parade groups were throwing candy. Not just a little bit, but large amounts for all of the children in the crowds. I think it was probably better than Halloween since you just had to stand there and wait for the candy to come to you. I photographed many kids trying to catch candy flying by.

By the time the parade finished I felt I had enough for the day and headed home.

I think my goal for the next year is to photograph as many Stokesdale events as I can. I’ll also try to think of some sort of photo project I can do with Belews Lake.

I want to thank Vicki White-Lawrence the parade coordinator for her help in getting me permission to photograph the parade and identify subjects of my photographs.

See all of my photos in the gallery below.

Chad

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