On December 6th, 2025, Old Town Manassas had its 79th annual Greater Manassas Christmas Parade. The theme for this year’s Elfin’ Around Old Town hosted a variety of units, some units even included the students of Osborn High participating in them. 

Emily Vazquez is a freshman at Osborn High. “I do color guard for Osborn. There are 3 major jobs color guard has, but I do flag, which is where you have a six-foot flag that you spin and throw.” Vazquez states, “This is my first time in the Christmas Parade, and I enjoyed performing. It’s like scary at first. At the beginning of the season, it was my first year, and I was really nervous performing in front of the whole crowd. But I have been doing it for a while, so now I am used to it.”

Similar to Vazquez, Sophia Metcalfe & Joanne Pendleton also performed a dance for their dance studio, Spotlight Dance. “Our studio has been doing the Manassas Christmas parade since before I got here. We stopped doing it two years ago, but were rejoining it this year.” Both girls wore shimmering golden dresses with cute elf accessories.  Metcalfe explains. The girls have danced for some time now, as Pendleton says, “I have been dancing at the studio since 6th grade.” And “I have been dancing for several years now.” Metcalfe adds to this by saying, “I have been dancing for twelve years.” Both girls share their emotions about performing, “I was a little nervous when I first started, but now it is pretty normal, and I get excited to show off my talent!” Pendleton exclaims. Metcalfe says, “I love performing. It is very fun.” 

Even though Metcalfe and Pendleton both dance for the same studio, Spotlight Dance. Henna Exley dances for a different one, Virginia Dance Center. “I have been dancing in the Manassas Christmas parade since I was 8 for my dance company,” Exley explains. I love dancing. This year I am competing in the judge’s dance for the first time, and I am so excited!” The VDC dancers wore green and red elf costumes and added a bit of their own personalities to their dance.

Unlike the others before, Antonio Mejia is on the robotics team which brought a robot to the parade “We have been prepping since August when we started school we have been getting it prepped” Antonio states how it was his first time participating in the parade “I have not been involved with a parade but I am aware that the robotics club has had multiple projects before but this is going to be my first year and I am really looking forward to it.” Unfortunately, due to the weather, however, robotics did not end up performing, but they said they will return for future events!

The 79th annual Greater Manassas Christmas Parade was fun, exciting, and very chilly! We hope to see you there next year for the 80th parade!

Did you go to the parade this year? Tell us your thoughts!