After months of preparation, the Montrose Christmas Parade Association is ready to welcome the crowds to Honolulu Avenue.

By Mary O’KEEFE

It’s time again for the Montrose Christmas Parade, an event that has been months in the making. Organizers of the Montrose Christmas Parade Association, all volunteers, have been working for a very long time on pulling together this massive event.

This is the 46th year of the Montrose Christmas Parade, which started in the 1950s when MGM actor and Crescenta Valley resident Dennis Morgan marched down Honolulu Avenue on Dec. 20 to celebrate the holiday … and his birthday. But when Mr. Morgan moved out of the area, the annual parade ended. But the event returned in 1976 thanks to Montrose Shopping Park merchant Frank Roberts, who was also known at the time as “Mr. Montrose.” Roberts is known as the founder of this present day parade. 

It takes a lot of volunteer hours and a lot of coordinating to put on the event, this year being held on Dec. 7. Each year there are a few changes incorporated but the parade has never forgotten its family-friendly community roots. 

“This year the Scouting America – Verdugo Hills Council is partnering with the Montrose Christmas Parade to provide additional volunteers for banner carriers,” said Cheryl Davis, parade coordinator. “The Parade Association is also supporting the Glendale Fire Department (GFD) and ABC7 Spark of Love Toy Drive. The GFD’s antique Mack truck will be on Ocean View Boulevard, just above Honolulu Avenue, before and during the parade to collect new, unwrapped toys and sports equipment for our children in need.”

As is tradition, Santa Claus will allow his reindeer to rest as he hops into a Glendale Police Department (GPD) helicopter and flies over the parade route to get the event going. The Montrose Christmas Parade begins promptly at 6:10 p.m. on Dec. 7. Then Santa hurries from the helicopter onto a GFD Station 29 hook-and-ladder truck that ends the parade to the cheers of the crowd. 

This year the grand marshals of the parade are Judy and Ralph Winter. 

Judy was an RN for many years within the Glendale Unified School District, working at several schools including Crescenta Valley High School. Ralph is a well-known and respected producer in the film industry. His credits as a producer include numerous films including “Postcard from Earth” and “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” As an executive producer his numerous credits includes “Hocus Pocus 2,” “What Remains” and “Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home.”

But beyond their careers, the Winters are strong CV community members.

Though Judy was the RN for many GUSD schools she worked directly with CVHS for five years. She was an RN – not the school health clerk. 

She and Ralph have lived in the Crescenta Valley since the late 1970s. The CV area has always been a hidden gem in Los Angeles County. When asked how they found this community Ralph said, “Oh, we’re longtime Glendale residents.”

Both were born in the area – Ralph at Glendale Adventist Hospital. 

“We’ve been at Glendale Presbyterian Church since we were in second grade, and then we went to all Glendale schools – Glenoaks and RD White elementary schools, then Woodrow Wilson [Middle School], Glendale High School and Glendale [Community] College,” Ralph said. “We know the area pretty well and I played basketball at Crescenta Valley.”

“A lot of our high school friends went to CV,” Judy added.  

They participated in clubs and after-school sports and their youth group would have sunrise services in the area. 

Once they had children they realized that local Glendale Unified schools were strong and chose to send their children to public schools. Judy volunteered at many events, including a career day at CVHS and with Prom Plus in its beginning grassroots years. 

“I [volunteered with] Prom Plus and just stuck with it, even after my kids graduated,” she said. 

In addition the couple has supported and volunteered for many events through their church, Montrose Church. They also have a long history with the Montrose Christmas Parade. 

“We are honored and it’s a privilege that someone nominated us,” Ralph said. “We’re active in Montrose and we’ve been at the parade a lot, even the days when Santa [started] coming in a helicopter.”

“It’s just a great community,” Judy added. 

Ralph felt lucky to have the career he has and to be able to come home to the Crescenta Valley. He said his career really began as an executive at Paramount Studios.

He worked in post-production there and then worked on “Star Trek” movies for 10 years with the original cast. 

“I had a great run there and met a lot of people,” he said. “We did some good, fun movies.”

He then moved on to other films and is now working with the Las Vegas Sphere. 

“We are based in Burbank [with] productions here and then [the media is moved] for consumers in Vegas,” he said. 

He added it is a privilege to work with the new technology associated with the Sphere, which is immersive entertainment on a wide screen. 

The Sphere seats about 18,000 and includes 4-D physical effects with 1.2 million exterior LED light sources.

“With the cinematic things we can make, it hopefully takes you to another place,” he said. 

Ralph and Judy have also supported the Rose Parade. 

“I’ve been a ‘pooper scooper’ in the Rose Parade and got the most attention. That was the best job in the world; you’re picking up [poop] and people are applauding,” he joked. 

The couple is excited and honored to be representing their town at their parade. 

For Davis, who is in year 13 as parade coordinator, planning is everything. 

“Montrose Christmas Parade Association is a 501(c)(3) whose only purpose is to put on the annual Montrose Christmas Parade. We are an all volunteer organization and this parade is only possible thanks to our generous sponsors, local business sponsors, volunteers and the thousands of participants, families and viewers who join us to kick off the Christmas season in Montrose,” Davis said. 

Throughout the years Davis has faced challenges, like lots of rain and lots of wind, but also has her favorite times.

“The end of the parade,” she said of her favorite memories. “Seriously, the parade board members and marshals follow Santa down the parade route at the end of the parade. Seeing the kids and the families react to Santa is what brings the parade team back each year. I almost cried my first year when viewers gave the parade team a shout-out and thanked them for all of their hard work and dedication.”