This Saturday thousands of people will line Honolulu Avenue from Rosemont Avenue to Verdugo Boulevard to watch the traditional Montrose Christmas Parade. 

By Mary O’KEEFE

Anyone who has lived in Crescenta Valley for more than a minute will know of the parade that began 47 years ago. The parade was started by then local resident Dennis Morgan, an actor during the Golden Age of Hollywood – the 1940s.

This year the parade’s grand marshal is Disney Legend Bob Gurr. In an interview with CV Weekly, Gurr said he was “honored” to serve as grand marshal for the Montrose-Glendale Christmas Parade – his own town. Gurr moved to Glendale with his family in 1934 and stayed in the area through his tenure with Walt Disney Imagineering, then known as WED Enterprises, while working on opening and then maintaining Disneyland. In the early ’90s, he moved up to the Crescenta Valley and has been there ever since.

“I’ve been grand marshal a number of places, usually in the Orange County area. The last one was in April about five years ago with the Bob Baker Marionettes (Theatre),” Gurr said. “So to be grand marshal of what I consider to be my local town – oh my goodness! Because [for all of] the other grand marshals it was somebody else’s town. This event, it would be my town. Wow!”

Gurr’s career spanned decades with Walt Disney Imagineering where he designed many of Disneyland’s original ride vehicles including the Autopia cars, the 

Monorail, the Haunted Mansion doom buggies and the Matterhorn bobsleds (among others) as well as later contributing to projects around the world. In 2004, he was officially recognized as a Disney Legend for his innovations in theme park design.

Speaking about his upcoming appearance, Gurr said he hopes to ride in an early 1930s Packard and wave to spectators along the route. 

“Every couple of years there’s some new [honor] that kind of tops everything that goes before,” Gurr said. “It’s almost like ‘How many more blessings can come my way?’ [and] I’m 94. I love this valley so much; I’ve been here 33 years and Montrose is my favorite town.”

Tradition has always been part of the Montrose Christmas Parade and this year is no different. The parade’s theme is The Christmas Time Machine. This year time comes full circle with the Paola sisters riding in the parade they first participated in about 69 years ago. 

“My sisters Chrissy and Peggy [along with me] rode on a float in 1956,” said Susan Paola in a recent CVW interview.

According to the then-community newspaper the Ledger, the sisters were on a float titled “The Santa Claus Float,” which was part of the local Lions Club organization. It was described as the “most elaborate” one to date and featured a sleigh, Santa’s house, reindeer and children. 

“My dad belonged to the Lions Club, and the Shriners and the Masons,” Paola said. “[Riding] on the float was a big deal.”

Once again this year they will be traveling down the Honolulu Avenue parade route. 

Another tradition involves residents placing their blankets and lawn chairs along the route several hours prior to the parade. The fact that community members are kind and respectful to those who have already set up their chairs is a tribute to the broader community. The Montrose Christmas Parade is not only an event, it is a way to celebrate local school bands, Scouts, local leaders and organizations that support the community. 

The Montrose Christmas Parade Association is an all-volunteer organization supported by local businesses and residents. The event will also benefit the Glendale Fire Dept.’s annual Spark of Love Toy Drive.

The parade route runs along Honolulu Avenue from Rosemont Avenue to Verdugo Road. Street closures begin at 3 p.m. and spectators are asked not to set out chairs or blankets before noon on the day of the event. The parade starts at 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6.