(Top left) First place winner for the Best Float category was Buckley's Excavating with their "Grinch That Stole Christmas" float. (Top right) Donna Frech School of Dance won first place in the Best Group category for their "Candy Cane Lane" float and group of DF Dancers. (Bottom left) Taking the first place award for Best Overall was Progressive Dental, who wowed the crowd with their "Molar Express" float in the 2022 Parade of Lights. (Bottom right) The South New Berlin won first place for Best Fire Truck at the Parade of Lights on Saturday. (Submitted photos)

NORWICH — The annual Parade of Lights, held on Saturday, November 26, returned bigger, brighter, and better than ever with double the amount of participants than last year.

The Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) held contests for Best Float, Best Fire Truck, Best Group, and Best Overall for the participants, and have announced the winners.

For Best Float, first place went to Buckley's Excavating with their theme, "Grinch That Stole Christmas." Second place was awarded to NBT Bank for their "Happy Feet" float, and third place went to Bert Adams and their "Harry Potter Christmas" float.

First place winner for Best Fire Truck was the South New Berlin Fire Department. Second place went to the South Otselic Fire Department, and third went to the Plymouth Fire Department.

In the Best Group category, Donna Frech School of Dance took first place with a "Candy Cane Lane" theme. Coming in second place was Norwich Dodge with their "Elf" themed float, and in third was Upstate Companies/Sidney Moose Club for their "DJ" themed display.

Progressive Dental was crowned Best Overall, taking first place in the category for the "Molar Express." Taking second place was UHS Chenango Memorial Hospital and their "Jack Frost" float, and coming in third was Norwich Pharmaceuticals, who had a "Candy Land" themed float.

The 2022 Parade of Lights was made possible thanks to parade sponsor Chobani, sponsor and supporter the Norwich Family YMCA, media sponsor Norwich and Sidney Pennysavers, as well as Rentals To Go and Pro Audio Consulting.