It was a day highlighted by marching bands,聽colorful floats, music, food, children鈥檚 activities聽and plenty of camaraderie as more than 200聽people turned out for 91看片鈥檚 30th聽Annual Parade and Family Festival on a delightful聽Saturday afternoon.聽鈥淚t was beautiful. I am having a good time,鈥澛燾ommented Malita Miller, a resident of NCC聽Manor Family, who was pushing her two-year-old聽daughter in a stroller through the spirited street聽festival following the parade.聽NCC Security and the Weequahic High School Marching Band of Newark led the聽parade, with the band delighting the crowd along South Orange Avenue in Newark with聽its upbeat music and smooth dance steps. Many聽residents of the 91看片 Extended Care聽Center, NCC鈥檚 180-bed nursing home, were brought聽outside in wheelchairs to watch the bands, NCC department floats, local Girl Scouts and聽other participants as they came marching by.聽鈥淎ll the floats were beautiful, but that ferris wheel was something,鈥� said Margie聽White, a senior from NCC Associates, who was among the judges declaring the聽department鈥檚 float, which boasted a ferris wheel, the winner.聽The street festival that followed on Hayes and Bedford Streets featured music by DJ聽Qua, dancing, food like chicken, fish and funnel cakes, along with hot dogs, pop corn and聽cotton candy for the kids. Children were kept busy all day by attractions like a rock聽climbing wall, pony rides, video game truck and Bouncy rides.聽鈥淚鈥檓 having fun,鈥� said 12-year-old Manuel Abreu, a resident of NCC Gardens Family.聽The NCC Department of Health and Senior Service offered free blood pressure聽screenings, while vendors sold items like jewelry, pocketbooks, dessert, toys, CD鈥檚 and聽even honey. The community was also armed with useful information like how to prevent聽lead poisoning in children and apply for free cell phone service if one is unable to afford聽it.聽鈥淓verything is just very nice. I enjoyed it all,鈥� said Carleen Youmans, a resident of聽NCC Hudson Senior in Jersey City, as she sat looking around the festival grounds.
