Long-time Coatesville Area High School music teacher Jerry Daghir returns to the area to serve as one of the grand marshalls for this years Coatesville Christmas Parade, Dec. 6.
COATESVILLE — Like the scene out of “White Christmas” where all of the men who served under “The General” pour into the Vermont lodge (where he is now the owner and part-time caretaker) and surprise him on Christmas Eve, so will the scene be in Coatesville on Saturday, Dec. 6 with the return of Jerry Daghir, Coatesville Area High School (CASH) Meistersinger Director, from 1954 to 1993. The event will be the annual Coatesville Christmas Parade.
Daghir was revolutionary at CASH with the music program he took all the way to Canada for Montreal’s Expo ’67 World’s Fair, performing under the U.S. flag for over a week. Then there was the European Tour, which the 1963 Meistersingers led for three weeks. Trips to Hawaii, Mexico City and Disney World were not uncommon for this group of accomplished “master” singers. And always, Daghir was at the helm, prompting them, cajoling them, guiding them and rooting for them.
This year, as grand marshals of the Coatesville Christmas Parade, other Meistersinger directors, Sally Hilner Breuninger and current director Rita Tingle-Lewis will join Jerry Daghir. Invited are all former Meistersingers to join with the current group marching in the parade singing Adeste Fideles. Traditionally the group begins their Christmas Concert with a candle light procession singing the beloved Christmas hymn.
Daghir, Breuninger (also a storied musical director-think “Mr. Holland’s Opus”) and current celebrated director Tingle-Lewis will join Chester Country’s largest hometown parade down Lincoln Highway. The parade begins at 10 a.m. starting at Strode Avenue and Lincoln Highway, and ends at the performing and judging area at 11th Avenue and Lincoln Highway.
“A book could be written on my life with the Meistersingers,” says Daghir. “And the wonderful things those kids accomplished. Professionally, we were always among the top in the SE District competitive events like District, Regional, and All-State Choruses. The kids (and I) always enjoyed competing for choral performance opportunities on the state, national, and international levels.”
Featured along with the current crop of Meistersingers will be the Avalon, Duffy, Polish American and Quaker City String bands. Also playing will be the Lukens Band, the Eagles Pep Band, the Chester County Emerald Society Pipe Band, and the Coatesville High School “Red Raider” Marching Band. Mascots will include Screwball and Blooper from the Reading Phillies, “Reggie The Purple Party Dude,” and a group of present and former Coatesville High School mascot “Chief Red Raider” and braves.
Honored this year will be the 2014 inductees to the Coatesville High Sports Hall of Fame, and recently retired teachers from the Coatesville Area School district.
Look for local elementary, middle and high school groups, cub scouts, boy scouts, girl scouts and brownies. Churches participate by marching in the parade and by singing Christmas songs on Lincoln Highway prior to the start of the parade. There will also be dance academies, cheerleading groups, hip-hop dancers and baton twirlers.
An automotive competition featuring Antique, Classic and Modified autos will be competing for prizes. Another competition is for Best Appearing Fire Apparatus, with the expectation that all the local fire companies in Western Chester County will be represented. Chester County police departments will compete for Best Appearing Police Vehicle.
The competition for Best Appearing Float sponsored by a non-profit organization features prizes of $500 for first place, $300 for second place, and $200 for third place. There is also a Best Appearing Float sponsored by a for-profit organization. They compete for bragging rights and a plaque. Lastly, there will be a competition for Best Appearing Group. Note that all competitions are for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places.
Bringing up the rear of the parade will be none other than Santa Claus, riding on a Coatesville Fire Department truck. Admission is free.
Entries will be accepted until November 28th. You must register on-line at our website www.coatesvillechristmasparade.com
For information on this event, kindly contact Greg DePedro at 610-384-2677 or www.coatesvillechristmasparade.com/
or email the organizing committee at committee@coatesvillechristmasparade.com
