BANGOR — Though the holiday parade through downtown Bangor each year is eagerly anticipated by parade lovers from throughout the region, the 1999 edition was extra special for members of the extended Treadwell family.

Saturday’s procession of approximately 75 floats, bands and marching units marked a first for Brian Treadwell, 8, and his 5-year-old sister, Rebecca, of Swans Island.

“They’ve seen them on TV, but they’ve never been to a parade,” said their grandmother Carol Treadwell of Glenburn, who gathered with other family members at the corner of Main and Cedar streets to watch the parade.

“I missed last year’s but I usually come every year,” said Carol Treadwell of an event that figures in the holiday traditions of a number of area families.

Tradition seemed to be the case for her son and daughter-in-law, Richard and Theresa Treadwell of Glenburn, and their 10-year-old twins, Amanda and Adam.

“We’ve been taking them since they were a year old,” Richard Treadwell said.

This year’s parade entries included everything from creche scenes, popular cartoon characters and twirler to singers, firetrucks, a flock of Elvis impersonators, late-model and antique Harley-Davidson motorcycles and, of course, Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa — all celebrated in December — were featured in Eastern Maine Technical College’s holiday float.

The antics of some of the parade participants drew peals of laughter from the Treadwell grandchildren.

“I liked it!” said Rebecca, who said her favorites were Santa — whose sleigh appeared last in the lineup — and a white pony outfitted as a reindeer. Her big brother, Brian, preferred the cars and big trucks.

“I really liked the gymnastics and cheerleaders,” added cousin Amanda. Adam pronounced the entire event “cool.”

The only missing ingredient this year was snow.

With the weekend’s unseasonably warm temperatures, Saturday’s parade began under heavy, gray skies and ended amid drizzle.

Water that accumulated on downtown streets forced the young gymnasts who appeared in the parade to wring out their gloves after cartwheels and caused some of the crowds along the parade route to thin out prematurely.

Carol Treadwell was among those for whom the lack of snow made it more difficult to get into the Christmas spirit.

“It’s just not the season without it,” she said.

Debora Farnham, community services director for WLBZ 2, the Bangor television station that sponsored the event along with Duke Energy’s Maine Independence Station in Veazie and Don Dickel Wood Floors of Bangor, said awards were given out in eight parade categories.

This year’s winners were: Adult Group — Harley Owners Group, Bangor chapter; Theme — Bangor Hydro-Electric Co.; Commercial — Riverport Antiques, Hampden; Marching Band — Bangor High School; Nonprofit Organization — Children’s Miracle Network-Eastern Maine Charities; Performing Group — WKIT-FM Radio, Bangor; Performing Band — Lee Academy; and Youth Group — Brownie Troop 734, Brewer.

In addition, WLBZ and its sister station in Portland collected thousands of coats and jackets — both on the parade route and at selected other sites — as part of their Coats for Kids campaign, which seeks to ensure that all children have warm clothing to wear.