Holiday Parade Spotlights Gift of Cultural Diversity : Festivities: About 80,000 turn out to see the bands, dancers, floats and balloons in annual Santa Ana celebration.

Santa Claus arrived even earlier than usual this year. He was riding on a float in a parade that included a block-long flying Mighty Mouse and an inflated Woody Woodpecker five stories high.

“Cool,” said Mark Redell, 6, of Westminster, still talking about the bird that had just passed. “It looked like it was gonna hit the (traffic) lights.”

Fortunately, such a mishap was averted by the quick maneuverings of the ground crew holding several ropes attached to the huge helium-filled cartoon character. And so the 10th annual Times Orange County Holiday Parade went on without a hitch Saturday.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Susie Dollbaum, 32, of Huntington Beach. “It’s festive. It’s exciting. It’s nice to have something like this in our area.”

The theme of this year’s parade was “An International Family Celebration,” designed to celebrate the ethnic and cultural diversity of Orange County.

That theme was amply illustrated: Onlookers saw Native American, African, Mexican, Scandinavian, Bolivian, Greek and Korean dance troupes. The huge floating balloons and well-manicured floats included depictions of Mickey Mouse, Snoopy, Popeye and Olive Oyl, a Chinese dragon, a huge kangaroo and an octopus. And in addition to several high school marching bands and Scottish bagpipe ensembles, the audience was entertained by equestrian groups, drill teams, a Dixieland band and a bunch of Mexican lasso artists.

The crowd, which Santa Ana police Lt. Felix Osuna estimated at 80,000, began gathering several hours before the parade’s official 9 a.m. start.

“It brings everybody together,” said Mary Anderson of Laguna Hills. “I wanted my grandson to see this.”

Like many onlookers, Anderson said she was especially moved by this year’s tribute to area firefighters in a segment of the parade featuring more than a dozen firetrucks. “People stood up and applauded,” she said. “It was uplifting.”

Police said later that, except for a 20-minute delay in starting caused by the technical difficulties of a video crew, everything went smoothly. “We couldn’t have asked for a nicer day,” said Osuna, referring to the 75-degree weather.

Beginning at Flower Street and Sunflower Avenue, the parade moved west along Sunflower to Bristol Street, turned right on Bristol and ended at Alton Avenue. All told, police said, the route was about half a mile long.

Along the route, a host of street vendors hoped to cash in on the burgeoning holiday spirit with offerings that included plastic horns, sodas, cotton candy, balloons, candied apples, yo yos, toy swords and inflatable Santa Clauses.

They had a prime potential customer in Nadine Redd of Costa Mesa. “I love all the colors and music,” the mother of three gushed between marching bands. “This opens the holiday season. I’ve got my eye on Toys R Us after this; I’m in the mood to shop.”

Not everyone, however, waxed so enthusiastic.

“It’s a little slow,” Irvine resident Mary Dobluis said of the show. “But it’s a nice day, it’s peaceful and it’s safer than going to L.A. for a parade.”

Corrine Patton of Garden Grove, playing Scrooge to Redd’s Tiny Tim, had a different view entirely. “It’s before Thanksgiving,” she said. “We haven’t had our turkey yet, so it’s hard to say Merry Christmas.”