Parade provides memories for Nahant police lt.

NAHANT – Nahant Police Lt. Tom Hutton said when he walked into a Lynn parade planning meeting recently, he was greeted by a man in his early 30s who introduced himself as Mickey Mouse.Hutton quickly discovered the man was dressing as Mickey to stand on a float for the Lynn Christmas parade, scheduled for Christmas Eve. Hutton said he told the mouse impersonator that his 10-month-old granddaughter loved Mickey Mouse and it would be her first parade. “He said, ?Point her out, and I?ll come say hi to her,?” said Hutton, laughing. “That?s what it?s all about, just to see the smiles and the laughs on the kids? faces.”The memory stuck in Hutton?s mind because it was the same feeling he sought for his own son, now a father of that 10-month-old, 18 years ago when he decided Nahant should have its own Christmas parade. Now almost two decades later, Hutton said the parade this Saturday will be his last as an organizer.This year the parade will be held in memory of Lynn parade organizers Rich Viger and Jim McLaughlin, two of the three original volunteers who contributed floats to the first Nahant Christmas parade who died this year. Hutton said to honor them, some of the floats and town vehicles will have banners with their names.The parade will assemble at 4:30 p.m. at East Point in Nahant on Cliff Street, then at 6 p.m. march down Nahant Road to Little Nahant, to Wilson Road, a left onto Nahant Road toward Castle Road, then to Bass Point. From there the parade will march down Flash Road, Emerald Road and up Willow Road. The parade will break up and participants can meet at Tides Restaurant for drinks and food.?It?s a great time and the kids love it, and adults too,” said Hutton. “I can hardly wait.”