Snow-covered streets and sidewalks made a perfect backdrop in Beckley Saturday for the city’s annual Christmas parade.

Freezing temperatures and a few inches of snow might have produced uncomfortable conditions, but they did not deter Santa or keep hundreds of his fans away.

“This is the first year I’ve been to this parade and we’re loving it so far,” Lyn Lewis of Beaver said. “I’m enjoying it, even though it’s freezing cold.

“We’re just waiting for Santa Claus,” she said, smiling. “He’s what the parade is all about.”

The city, Beckley Renaissance and Dr. Julian Chipley hosted the “Snowmen, Angels and Stars” parade. Mayor Emmett Pugh was the grand marshal.

“Snow for Christmas is what people want,” Chipley, parade coordinator, said, “and this year, that’s exactly what we got.

“I think the people who came out to watch and those who participated should be commended,” he added. “A third of the floats and groups canceled because of the snow, but it was really neat to see that other two-thirds show up and pull off the parade.”

Chipley said even though people were frustrated at first with the weather conditions, as they started setting up and saw Santa, everyone seemed to get in the sprit.

“It was cold, snowy and a little bit smaller, but it was a great year,” Beckley Renaissance director Jill Moorefield added. “Considering the weather, I thought we had a really good turnout.”

One WVU fan said he was alternating between watching the parade and the Mountaineers’ football game at Rutgers.

“I’ve seen the Beckley Christmas parade many years before,” Chip Williams of Beckley said. “But this year’s great because I’m going back and forth between watching the game at The Lost Parrot and being out here to see the parade.

“I work at a law firm here on Neville Street, and it’s really nice to have something here to bring the kids and people out who don’t normally come downtown.”

Floats competed in organization, commercial and religious categories and an awards ceremony took place after the parade at Jim Word Memorial Park.

Trophies were awarded to:

- Best overall: Teel Educational Center.

- Religious category: Faith Community Church, first place; Oak Grove Christian Church, second; Glen Morgan Missionary Baptist, third.

- Organization category: Raleigh County Housing Authority, first place; Scarlett Royal Red Hat Society, second; Raleigh County Special Olympics, third.

- Business category: Sam’s Club, first place; The Villages at Greystone, second; First Community Bank, third.

- Schools category: The Academy of Careers and Technology, first place; LA East, second; YMCA Preschool, third.

- Best walking unit: Crescent Girl Scouts.

- Best animal unit: Wild and Wonderful Pet Pantry.

- Best 4-H entry: Silver Spurs.

- Best scout entry: Boy Scout Troop No. 3.

- Best classic car: Dale Morgan, 1972 Chevy.

— E-mail: cclark@register-herald.com