Warwick Homecoming Parade Brings Novelty and History
Floats prompted delight and, for some, recollections.
By Gail Hoffer-Loibl
A sunny end-of-summer day drew hundreds to Main St. in the Village of Warwick for the annual Warwick Homecoming Day Parade on September 21. Ahead of the parade, the Tri-State Lookout spoke to members of the crowd about what brought them out that day. The diverse crowd featured both long-time residents of Warwick and newer faces who were experiencing the parade for the first time.
Among attendees was Linda Manno, whose family has lived in Warwick since the 1900s. Manno said she has been coming to the parade since the 1980s and was there to support her granddaughter, who worked on a float, and her nephew, who was performing in the band.
“I enjoy the camaraderie and all the excitement. I like seeing all the work in the floats,” Manno said.
Manno was joined by other members of her family, including Kathleen Makush, who was on the Warwick Homecoming Court in the 1970s, and Makush’s son Jason, who was also on the court when he was a student.
Kelli Sciarra had a photo from 1996, her sophomore year, when the theme was also board games. This year her daughter was a Homecoming princess
New faces at the parade included Sherma Nurse, who was joined by other first-timers there to support the fourth graders. When asked what she was excited to see at the parade, Nurse said she was “looking forward to the entire thing.”
Parade goers like Ken Cresser, whose 10th grade son was playing in the band and whose 12th grade daughter was riding on a float, expressed appreciation for the unique experience of Warwick parades and gatherings.
“I moved here 23 years ago for the smaller town feel and camaraderie,” Cresser said.
Warwick Village Mayor Michael Newhard also voiced appreciation for the communal spirit fostered by events like the Homecoming Parade. Newhard, who has attended the parade for the 24 years he’s served as leader of the village and many more beyond that, said, “[The Homecoming Parade] is a time-honored tradition that brings people out. It shows pride for our school. It is small town America in a bottle.”
The parade included student marchers from each of the Warwick Valley Central School District’s schools along with representatives from various sports teams, student clubs and associations. Intricate floats that showcased student creativity made their way down Main Street, while the high school band provided music. The parade also featured a wide variety of vehicles, including jeeps, trucks and convertibles, many of which were used to escort the Homecoming Court.
The biggest head-turner was likely the cyber truck, which carried Warwick High School English and Language Arts Teacher Jill Martinez, who also serves as co-advisor to the freshman class.
Each class was represented by a float based on a board game, including CandyLand (seniors), Clue (juniors), Monopoly (sophomores) and Guess Who? (freshman).
While the Warwick Valley Football Team did not attend the parade, as their game occurred shortly after, several Warwick Valley cheerleaders were there to pump up the crowd and get them excited for the matchup against Goshen. Warwick took the victory with a 41 to 18 win.
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