Ray Porter as Santa Claus
For decades, Ray Porter helped out super-busy Santa Claus by standing in for him in Huntsville’s annual parade. He was unable to participate in last year’s parade due to a stroke, however, and while his health won’t allow him to play the role of Santa again this year, parade organizers are thrilled to announce that Porter will lead the parade as honorary marshal. He will ride in the police car that guides the floats down Main Street all the way from Centre Street to Huntsville Place Mall.
“We reached out to him this year and although he’s not well enough to assist Santa, he’s happy to be our honorary marshal,” said parade co-chair, Nancy Wilding. “He gets to smile and wave at everyone who looks forward to seeing him every year.”
There’s also a new format for the parade for 2016. Starting at 6:30 p.m., dance groups will precede the parade to provide entertainment for the gathering crowds, stopping at four locations to perform: Town Hall, Brunel Road, West Road and Cliff Avenue. The parade will begin as usual this Friday, November 25, at 7:00 p.m. and with the new format will likely finish earlier than usual.
As of today, the forecast looks fabulous for parade viewing: an evening temperature of about zero degrees with a chance of flurries.
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Get well soon Santa. We all miss you at The Stephenson Lion’s Free Senior’s Christmas Dinner at The Utterson Hall .
What a great choice of Parade Marshall this year. As a child growing up in Huntsville I remember going downstairs in Eatons every year to see Santa ( Ray Porter). As an adult he would often visit the schools I was teaching in. Ray Porter you were a great Santa and put smiles on young people’s faces. Thank You!
Thank you Ray for all the years you have given to Huntsville. We well remember the many times you were Santa Claus riding in the back of the fire truck, the many times you assisted Santa at Grandview’s Christmas luncheon, and at All Saints’ Christmas party. Wonderful to hear you are well enough to participate in the parade this year. You can’t keep a good man down, as the saying goes. So many of Huntsville’s young people will recognize you as the kind man who helped them cross the road on their way to school. Blessings to you and your family.
Wonderful to hear you are well enough to participate in this year’s Santa Claus parade Ray. Huntsville remembers all the years you helped Santa in the parade, at Grandview’s Children’s Christmas party and at All Saints’ Christmas party, apart from all the years you were our school crossing guard. Huntsville is definitely a much better community because of all the hours you gave to it! Blessings to you and your wife and to Marian Nickalls children who we know are your adopted grandchildren!