ST. ALBANS, Vt. – For the sixth year, dozens of families lined up outside the St. Albans Co-op store for the annual Holiday Tractor Parade.

35 vehicles were in the mix this year, with participants ranging from dairy farmers to police and firefighters.

Harold Howringan said it’s a nice break from the dawn to dusk work dairy farmers are used to.

“We’re finishing up a long years’ work of putting up our crops and taking care of our cattle,” Howringan said. “When you drive around and see all the kids and their families, it’s rewarding to give back a little excitement leading into the Christmas season.”

It’s been a big year for the Co-op as it celebrated its hundredth year in business and merged with the Dairy Farmers of America. CEO Leon Berthiaume said it’s events like the tractor parade that make the dairy farming community in Franklin County so special.

“It’s just been exciting to see the number of farms that have been engaged over the six years,” Berthiaume said. “The creativity these farmers have in how they decorate their tractors with various themes and this wouldn’t be possible without their engagement.”