The so-called monster rock band, meanwhile, was on hand to promote a business chain called Monster Mini Golf.

One hint that Sunday’s 30th annual Taunton Christmas Parade was a rousing success: by noon, the eastbound lane of High Street was backed up all the way from Ingell to Winthrop streets.

More telling than any mundane traffic diversion, however, was the fact that thousands of people lined Broadway to watch one of the more colorful and varied Christmas processions in recent memory.

From a mini-contingent of Philadelphia-based Mummers to a live rock band made up of mini-golf “monsters,” this year’s parade had a little bit of something for everyone. That’s not to say there wasn’t the usual array of civic-and municipal-oriented participants — among which were members of the Taunton police and fire departments, Berkley Fire Department and Bristol County Sheriff’s Office.

But for many in the crowd it was a personal connection of some sort that drew them in.
Fawn, a 32-year-old mother of four, admitted that she had an ulterior motive for showing up: Her 14-year-old son Jacob plays trumpet in the Taunton High School marching band.
Originally from Boston’s Dorchester section, she said that since moving to Taunton eight years ago with her husband and children, she has come to appreciate the quality of the marching bands that participate year after year.

“The bands here are amazing compared to the ones in Boston,” she said, as she kept hold of a leash attached to Douglas, her 2-year-old mostly Beagle mixed breed.

It turns out it wasn’t Taunton High but one of the out-of-town bands that took all of the honors Sunday as this year’s best marching band: Somerset High School band took a majority of votes across three categories — appearance, sound and marching ability.

Their performance — played for six judges standing in a reviewing stand in front of Taunton Green — featured intricate ensemble work, particularly within the percussion section, on an unorthodox song that was more in the style of contemporary classical than John Philip Sousa.

Another highlight was the Build A Band For Santa, a nearly 400-strong, highly-organized collaboration made up of students from Dighton-Rehoboth Regional High, East Providence High and Portsmouth High schools.

This year’s Christmas parade, like others, began at the intersection of Broadway and East Britannia Street. The largest crowds could be found standing along the parade route near side streets on that section of Broadway.

The award for best float went to the non-profit Triumph Head Start, whose “Just Like We Used to Know” featured young children seated around a recreation of Christmas as it might have looked 100 years ago. The float was simple and sparse, with small firs, lanterns and tots wearing old-fashioned fur hats.

“The voting was very close,” said judge Ray Correia. “But they did a lot of research [into] the antique toys, gifts and costumes.”

The Irish American String Mummer Band, which made a rare appearance, performs every New Year’s Day in the much larger Philadelphia Mummers Parade procession. Their bizarrely garish costumes and odd collection of banjos, saxophones and a mandolin went over well with the crowed.

The so-called monster rock band, meanwhile, was on hand to promote a business chain called Monster Mini Golf.

A humorous, although unintended, moment occurred when, during a procession of classic American cars from the 1950s and ‘60s, an early ‘60s Dodge Dart — with a 383-horsepower engine — stalled and died in front of Taunton Green. With four men pushing, the muscle car managed to make its way down Main Street to City Hall.

Bringing up the rear was none other than Santa Claus.

As the parade ended and people began to leave the downtown area, the only procession left to be seen was that of baby strollers being pushed by parents.