By Sophie Hollis, Editor-in-Chief
Although most students are accustomed to seeing the Dancing Boots and marching band adorned in black and gold, fans of these performing Demons can see them sporting Santa hats in the Winston-Salem Jaycee’s Holiday Parade.
The parade will be making its way downtown Saturday (Dec. 6) at 5 p.m. It will march down Fourth Street and end with the Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership’s annual tree lighting ceremony.
“It’s always neat to see all the kids out there all bundled up,” band director Derrick James said.
James, who assembles a holiday-themed playlist for the band to perform, said that all bands in the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools district participate in the parade. James is also familiar with the struggles of freezing temperatures that many Boots and band members have complained about.
“In the six years I’ve been at Reynolds, I’ve only done the parade four times,” James said. “It got snowed out twice, and one time we just had a snowball fight.”
The whole event makes for a fun time, though, no matter the temperature.
“I kind of like the whole festive theme to it,” senior drum major Kirsten Watson said. “It bonds people together in a way.”
Seniors Joseph Taylor and Sarah Joyce, who are also members of the band, agree that the holiday parade is a generally enjoyable experience.
“It’s better that it’s at night instead of early in the morning,” Taylor said in reference to the morning Veteran’s Day parade that the band marches in in November.
“It’s more fun,” Joyce said. “We actually play Christmas music, because in the Veteran’s Day parade, we play stand tunes.”
Additionally, band members are excited because of the parade’s popularity among Winston families.
“More people get to see us,” Taylor added.
Senior Dancing Boots member Mary Katherine Conaway is also excited about this year’s parade.
“The people are really receptive,” Conaway said. “It’s a nice parade to do because it’s really short and people are really happy to see you.”
In past years, the Boots have marched with the band in order to dance to the stand tunes and holiday songs, such as “Jingle Bells” and a modified version of “Sleigh Ride.”
Conaway is grateful that the holiday parade is relatively short in comparison to some of the other parades that the Boots participate in.
“The King parade takes at least an hour and a half to walk,” Conaway said. “(The holiday parade) is the shortest; it’s maybe 10 to 15 minutes. It’s great.”
For a group of dancers in boots, a shorter parade just might be a saving grace for their feet.
“(The boots) are kind of slick, so it’s a little bit uncomfortable,” Conaway said.
Members of both groups encourage Reynolds families to come and see the parade, but advise spectators to bundle up for the cool but festive evening.