Teen’s ‘candy magnet’ a success at Merry Cary Holiday Parade

Jacob Franklin has been attending the Merry Cary Holiday Parade and Festival for as long as he can remember, so the 16-year-old knows there’s free candy to be had if you stand out from the rest of the festive crowd.

As the nearly 1,000 parade marchers danced past his grandmother’s house Sunday on Main Street in Cary, Jacob stood on the curb, driving his remote control car with a small box attached on top, between the parade entries.

“It gets a lot of attention,” he said with a smile as grown men aimed candy again and again from parade floats at the moving target, and younger children laughed and chased it to drop candy in the box.

The parade, now in its 17th year, is sponsored by the Cary Grove Area Chamber of Commerce and the village of Cary.

Board members rode in a float near the beginning of the parade and tossed candy at the crowd and Jacob’s remote-control candy magnet.

There were several free activities for families downtown after the parade, which is one of McHenry County’s largest holiday parades, including Santa visiting with children, performances by local schoolchildren, a petting zoo and pony rides.

“I did great this year,” said Jacob after Santa “Ho-Ho-Ho’d” past to end the parade. “I’m gonna have a bigger car next year.”