The Pine Bush Country Christmas Tractor Parade was held this past Saturday on a sunny, and seasonably crisp day. More than 50 tractors participated as well as a few unique vehicles including the vintage 1924 Dodge Brothers Touring Car Edward Lewis drove with special guest Jake “Santa” Meier. Meier is the son of Jo Ann Schneider and the late Sgt. Eric Meier who was a strong supporter of the event.

Fritz Meier, event organizer, addressed the drivers following their potluck luncheon by thanking them for their ongoing support of this special holiday tradition. Meier also thanked numerous commercial and individual sponsors for their support behind the scenes including; his family, Lloyd Greer for use of the property for registration and refreshments, Doug Rockwell, Mark Pirog and Man Cave Meats, Jace and Bailey, Beck’s Hardware and Beck’s Home and Garden, Coop’s Commodes, Ken Dolan, Skip Chambers, the Town of Crawford, Crawford Police Department as well as PBA, and Sean Curran who donated the insurance coverage for the occasion. Donations were accepted for the Pine Bush school district food pantry from drivers during the potluck which totaled $250 and was then matched by Janine Greer. An additional $250 was donated in memory of Shawn Antelak as well as another $100 making the total donated $850.

Aranka Mentrasti sang a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem before the tractors lined up.

Crawford Police Chief Dominick Blasko led the procession as official escort, followed by Fritz Meier driving his 1938 Dodge model RC with the event Grand Marshal, newly retired Crawford Police Sgt. Jimmy Johnson as passenger.

Onlookers of all ages enjoyed the various interpretations of both the definition of the term, “tractor,” and the range in holiday decorations from simple to extreme. Tossing candy to the crowd was appreciated by the children.

Jake Meier, closing out the parade shared, “It was great being Santa. Everyone has their own idea of what he looks like or how he sounds and that can make it a little intimidating. But, also, you can’t really make any mistakes for the same reason. I think the best part of this event is celebrating our local agriculture and farmers in a way that is fun and exciting for kids. I know that was my father’s favorite part too, to make sure our local farmers had their moment.”