Christmas at the Creamery, Pirates of Pack 184, and Charlie Brown Pumpkin Parade won big at the 62nd annual King Frost Parade.
“We appreciate everyone who took the time to put together an entry this year, from individual walkers all the way up to our large groups who built some elaborate floats,” parade co-chairwoman Colleen Witman said in a statement. “As someone who helps freshen King Frost’s float, I know that is no easy task.”
Held in downtown Hamburg on Halloween night, this year’s parade featured about 90 entries.
“What makes this year’s winners special is the mix of old and new,” Witman said.
Winners included some of the parade’s tried-and-true yearly participants, like the Blue Mountain Climbing Club, Cub Pack 184, and many local youth sport groups, she said.
Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club won runner-up overall float for Pirates of the Appalachian at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Cub Pack 184 won 1st place youth float for Pirates of Pack 184 at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Jeff Gilfillan as Pennywise of the Skook won 1st place in the Individual Walker category at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Wreaths Across America won 3rd place in the walking group category at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Hamburg Area Soccer Association won 2nd place in youth floats at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Several first-timers took home awards, including ProBerco and Wreaths Across America.
“Heisler’s Creamery, also new to the parade this year, shot all the way to the top with the Overall Float Winner,” Witman said. “It’s wonderful to see longtime favorites continue to show up year after year while new participants bring fresh energy to the parade.”
Heisler’s Creamery won overall float and 1st place business float for Christmas at the Creamery at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Overall Float winner Heisler’s Creamery in Tamaqua, Schuylkill County, also won 1st place business float for Christmas at the Creamery, featuring holiday lights, decorations and snow falling over spectators. The float promotes Heisler’s getting ready for Christmas at the Creamery with holiday lights and new indoor seating starting Nov. 12.
“We had a wonderful time being part of the King Frost Parade,” Heisler’s Creamery posted on its Facebook page, Heisler’s Dairy Bar, along with some pictures taken of their float. “Thank you to everyone who cheered us on along the route.”
Featuring the theme “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown,” ProBerco credited its non-business first-place award-winning float as the result of a true team effort involving program participants, employees, volunteers, and community supporters who worked together to bring the beloved Charlie Brown theme to life.
The Gang’s All Here – ProBerco’s Charlie Brown Pumpkin Parade float by ProBerco won 1st place non-business float at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Photo courtesy of ProBerco)
“Events like the King Frost Parade remind us why working at ProBerco is so rewarding. Every day, our team has the opportunity to make a difference, transform lives, and build stronger connections within our community,” Jessica Penchard, development and public relations director at ProBerco, said in the release.
The parade also illustrates the extraordinary commitment of ProBerco employees who consistently go above and beyond to create meaningful opportunities and memorable experiences for the individuals they serve. Learn more at www.proberco.org.
“ProBerco congratulates everyone involved in this year’s award-winning entry and looks forward to continuing its tradition of community participation, creativity, and inclusion for years to come,” ProBerco stated in a release.
KING FROST PARADE WINNERS
Overall Float
Overall Float Winner: Heisler’s Creamery – Christmas at the Creamery
Runner Up: Blue Mountain Eagle Climbing Club – Pirates of the Appalachian
Business Float Winners
1st Place: Heisler’s Creamery – Christmas at the Creamery
2nd Place: Famous Reading Outdoors – Off Roading
3rd Place: A Chimney King – Chimney Sweeps
Non-Business Float Winners
1st Place: ProBerco – The Gang’s All Here … ProBerco’s Charlie Brown Pumpkin Parade
2nd Place: PA Dirt Riders – East Coast Mudding
3rd Place: Twin County 4 Wheelers – Jeepers Creepers
Youth Float Winners
1st Place: Cub Pack 184 – Pirates of Pack 184
2nd Place: Hamburg Area Soccer Association
3rd Place: Hamburg Youth Football and Cheerleading Association – Fright Night
Individual Walker Winners
1st Place: Jeff Gilfillan – Pennywise of the Skook
2nd Place: I-78 Truck Center
3rd Place: Bo King – Gnomeo and Juliet
Walking Group Winners
1st Place: Hamburg Area Soccer Association
2nd Place: Ray-Gien Farm – Cowgirls of the Night
3rd Place: Wreaths Across America
Band 75-plus Members
1st Place: Parkland High School “Trojan” Marching Band
Band Less Than 75 Members
1st Place: Northwestern Lehigh High School Marching Band
2nd Place: Schuylkill Valley High School Marching Band
3rd Place: Hamburg Area High School Marching Band
Twirling and Dance Winners
1st Place: Chicks with Fire Sticks – Always the Villain
2nd Place: Kadryn Adam
Hamburg Youth Football and Cheerleading Association won 3rd place in youth floats for Fright Night at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Hamburg Youth Football and Cheerleading Association won 3rd place in youth floats for Fright Night at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Ray-Gien Farm won 2nd place in walking groups for Cowgirls of the Night at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Parkland High School “Trojan” Marching Band won 1st place in Band 75-plus Members at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Northwestern Lehigh High School Marching Band won 1st place in Bands Less Than 75 Members at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
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Hamburg Youth Football and Cheerleading Association won 3rd place in youth floats for Fright Night at the King Frost Parade on Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
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Chicks with Fire Sticks won 1st place in the Twirling and Dance category at the 62nd annual King Frost Parade in Hamburg Oct. 31. (Lisa Mitchell/MediaNews Group)
Always held on the last Saturday in October, the long-standing Hamburg tradition aims to bring people together, welcomes the cooler weather, and has been a homecoming for many people.
The King Frost Parade in its current form began in 1964, when the Hamburg Jaycees revived a decades-old, pre-Halloween celebration and staged the parade until 2022.
In 2023, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit King Frost Parade Inc. formed with community support to save the tradition.
“Our main goal is community events like this, the parade, this festival, the Memorial Day Carnival down at the park, just trying to provide things that create a community,” parade co-chair Derek Leibensperger.
The 2-mile parade featured five divisions of floats, decorated vehicles, bands, costumed walkers, Scouts, churches, businesses, youth and community organizations.
Organizers have already announced the date for next year’s parade, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2027. Visit www.kingfrostparade.com.