Bel Air Christmas Celebration Chairman Michael I. Blum has sent along his annual thank you letter to the community for participating in the 35th Bel Air Christmas Parade and Celebration on Dec. 7. Here are the details provided:
TO THE EDITOR:
On behalf of the Town of Bel Air, I want to thank the greater Bel Air community for its amazing support of the 35th Bel Air Christmas Parade and Celebration, held on Sunday, December 7, 2025.
It was certainly one of the COLDER days we’ve had for this parade in the seventeen years I’ve run it, but the sun was out much of the time and the skies were clear by parade end. The cold weather didn’t seem to deter the spectators: we had a huge crowd turnout and very happy parade participants, and a wonderful event!
What was really heart-warming on such a cold day was to see was the tremendous joy in the faces of the spectators of all ages as they watched the parade. We are lucky that Bel Air is indeed a family-friendly place, able to mount events like this. This celebration helps us understand how much GOOD is out there: how truly GOOD is our Town and our community.
I must first and foremost thank Chief of Police Charles Moore of the Bel Air Police Department and his hard-working staff, led by Sgt. James Farrell, for their help all day on December 7. Our local police were able to well handle the demands of a huge public event; this proves how professional, reliable and dependable our Bel Air Police Department truly is. We take our safety for granted, sometimes, so it’s appropriate to recognize just WHY we are safe, and by whose hard work that safety is maintained.
The parade includes many different kinds of units, and this year’s parade again included many very elaborate and creative participants. Overall, the Bel Air Christmas Parade is all about KIDS. Hundreds — maybe THOUSANDS of kids participated in it and many more watched it. To see the dedication and good spirits of so many children and their families made me, for one, very, very optimistic about the future of our community and of our nation. And I want to thank their parents and families for supporting these wonderful young people!
Special thanks must go to the many hard-working volunteers who put the entire celebration together, including nine National Honor Society member students from Bel Air High School under the leadership of Ms. Regina Burstein, one student from John Carroll School, and one younger brother of a Bel Air High senior! Adult volunteers included Annette Blum, Karen Bowers, Damon Costello, Elise Gerard, Matt McDonald, Julia Potler, Angela Robertson, Stephanie White and Lisa Williams. Dina Boebel and Angela Robertson decorated the Reviewing Stand, which was provided courtesy of Harford County Parks & Recreation. Our sponsor banners were carried by members of Cub Scout Pack 777, with help from BSA Troops 313 and 777.
Sincere and warm thanks also go to the Town of Bel Air Board of Commissioners, led by Paula S. Etting, Chair and Mayor, and her fellow Commissioners Steven Chizmar, Gavin Hanley and Jake Taylor — without whose support this event could not occur! I really think that they had a great time walking the parade route, too! Mayor Etting was our M.C. for the Bandshell Celebration afterwards, and she was just wonderful at it!
The Bel Air Christmas Celebration is brought to you by Town of Bel Air, specifically by the Town of Bel Air Economic Development Department, led by Executive Director Angela Robertson and her excellent staff. It is also brought to you by the Bel Air Downtown Alliance, Jenny Erhard, Executive Director, and her hard-working assistants. Supporting our activities are the Town of Bel Air Administration, led by Town Manager Eddie Hopkins; the Bel Air Police Department; the Bel Air Department of Public Works, led by Stephen Kline, Director, and his responsive and dedicated corps, and especially Freddy, James and Blaine.
I also would like thank our major business sponsors for their generous donations, starting with our Premier Sponsor, Patient First. Other major business sponsors include: APG Federal Credit Union; BCV Commercial Realty; Buontempo Brothers Restaurant; The Corbin Fuel Company; The Harford Financial Group; Harford TRANSIT LINK; Kids First Swim School; Klein’s ShopRite of Harford County; MaGerk’s Pub and Grill; Music Land; Safe Harbors Business Travel; Tar Heel Construction Group; and ZIPS Dry Cleaners.
Special thanks also goes to our local high school bands in the parade: Aberdeen High School, Bel Air High School, C. Milton Wright High School, Edgewood High School, Fallston High School, Harford Technical High School, Havre de Grace High School, the John Carroll School, Joppatowne High School, North Harford High School and Patterson Mill High School. I believe we had every high school in the county represented — and they all played very well!
The parade featured almost one hundred different units, ranging in size from a single person walking to 150 performers all at once! Our independent (and anonymous) Parade Judges named as OVERALL BEST IN PARADE the UPPER FALLS DANCE ACADEMY. Other Parade winners were: BEST MARCHING BAND IN THE PARADE: Aberdeen High School Marching Eagles; BEST FLOAT IN THE PARADE: Restoration Farm; BEST MARCHING UNIT IN THE PARADE: Harford Cheer; BEST MOBILE UNIT IN THE PARADE: the Boumi Shrine Center & Magic Carpets; BEST COSTUMED CHARACTERS IN THE PARADE: the Star Wars Costuming Groups of Maryland & Delaware; BEST ANIMAL UNIT IN THE PARADE: DogTopia of Bel Air; BEST “BEAUTY QUEEN” IN THE PARADE: United States of America’s Miss Maryland; and for GENERAL PARADE EXCELLENCE: Baltimore Bernese Mountain Dogs, Bel Air Dance Academy, Girl Scout Troop 759, Harford County Running Club, Forest Hill Dance, Jolly Ol’ Christmas Bus, and Part Two Dance Co.
Kristy Breslin of WMAR-TV was again our peerless Master of Ceremonies, excellently narrating the parade from the Reviewing Stand.
Joe Thompson handled the bonfire in Shamrock Park, where we were once again honored to have members of the Bel Air Community Band playing holiday music, under the baton of conductor and Music Director Richard Hauf, with the help of Assistant Director Daniel Venable.
On a personal note, I want to thank the Town of Bel Air for having the heart and sensitivity to mount such a celebration. The holiday season, whether one celebrates Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, or any other holiday, is one of joy, and is the time to celebrate light, life and family, and to give to charity and to the community. There is bad news everywhere — internationally; nationally; locally. For one day, though, we can rejoice in GOOD NEWS. The Bel Air 2025 Christmas Parade was ALL GOOD, and that is an excellent reason why we should all rejoice.
We look forward to the return of light, warmth and positive growth, both physical and spiritual, in 2026, and we pray for peace for us, for our community, and for all humanity.
Yours most sincerely,
Michael I. Blum
He/Him/His
Chairman, Bel Air Christmas Celebration
