Salute to Santa Parade Kicks Off Saturday

Lt. Gov.-elect Austin Davis to serve as grand marshal

By Staff Reports
The Tube City Almanac
November 16, 2022
Posted in: McKeesport and Region News

(Submitted photo courtesy of State Rep. Austin Davis)

McKeesport resident and incoming lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania Austin Davis will serve as grand marshal of the city’s 57th Salute to Santa parade this Saturday.

Weather-permitting, Tube City Online will broadcast the parade live beginning at 11 a.m. on its YouTube channel.

One of the largest Christmas parades in Western Pennsylvania, bands, community groups and fire and police units will stage at the McKees Point Marina on Water Street and proceed up Fifth Avenue, Downtown, past McKeesport City Hall at Fifth and Sinclair avenues.

“As always, we’re very excited about the Salute to Santa parade,” McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko said. “We know it kicks off the holiday season for a lot of people in the City of McKeesport, and it’s always great to see so many different organizations that participate. Hopefully, we get a good crowd this year.”

Davis, 33, is a McKeesport native who has served as the state representative for the 35th Legislative District since 2018. On Nov. 6, Davis was elected lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania, becoming the first millennial elected to statewide office in the commonwealth, and when sworn in will be the state’s first Black lieutenant governor.

“I had the opportunity to teach Austin when he was in elementary school and I was serving on city council when he was junior mayor of McKeesport,” Cherepko said. “We’re all extremely proud of him and grateful that he’s able to serve as grand marshal of the parade.”

Scheduled to participate include motorcycle units from McKeesport, North Versailles Twp. and Allegheny County police; the McKeesport Area High School Air Force Junior ROTC Honor Guard and Cadets; the Allegheny County Police Mounted Unit; the McKeesport police K-9 Unit, and public officials.

Also featured will be members of the LaRosa Youth Club, Salute to Santa Queen Candidates Ke’Vionna Jones (Clairton Honeybears), Miracle Cromerdie (MAHS Cheerleaders) and Brianna Schmidt (MAHS Band); Salute to Santa Princess Candidates Payton Normandy (Mary of Nazareth), Sarai Farmer (Clairton Honeybears), Julia Rae Jackson (McKeesport Little Theater), Kaitence Walker (MAHS Cheerleaders) and Taylor Lewis (White Oak Volunteer Fire Co. No. 1).

Units also will participate from Twin Rivers Elementary AIMS Program, McKeesport Area High School Girls & Boys Basketball Teams, McKeesport Area High School Band, McKeesport Area Cheerleaders, UMPC McKeesport and the Latterman Family Clinic, McKeesport Little Tigers Cheerleaders & Football, McKeesport Little Theater, the Mentoring Village, the Corner Donut Shop, Carnegie Library of McKeesport, Nuttall Public Safety, Mary of Nazareth Catholic School, McKeesport Housing Authority, Pennsylvania American Water Co., singer/songwriter Joey Young, Cybx, American Legion Post 527, the McKeesport HIV Prevention Council, Miller’s Gymnastics, McKeesport Trail Commission, NAACP McKeesport Unit, Garden Club of McKeesport, Serra Catholic High School Band, McKeesport Agape Center, UPMC Emergency Medicine, McKeesport Ambulance Rescue Service, Mon Valley Independent, McKeesport Lions Club, Kiwanis Club of McKeesport/White Oak, McKeesport Regional History & Heritage Center, Clairton High School Band and Honeybears, Salvation Army of McKeesport, Café Hibiscus, Legion Arms Humvee, C&D Towing and McKeesport Recreation Board.

Following the parade, children are invited to the Palisades ballroom, Fifth and Water streets, to meet Santa Claus and enjoy a complimentary lunch sponsored by the McKeesport Lions Club, city officials said.

For more information, visit the city’s website.

Originally published November 16, 2022.

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