Opinion: Springfield Christmas Parade returns to afternoon

In 2003, organizers of the Springfield Christmas parade turned the downtown event into an evening extravaganza, and to be honest, I wasn’t very enthusiastic about the change. Already, though, I’m looking forward to this year’s parade, because Urban District Alliance has announced that it will be a daytime event, starting at 1 p.m. Dec. 9.

“We talked with a lot of the downtown restaurants and retailers, and the consensus was that they really preferred it during the day,” said Shellie Jones, community development coordinator with Urban Districts Alliance and parade coordinator.

“It affected their business being at night time, and not in the best way.”

Other parade sponsors are Festival of Lights, Downtown Springfield Community Improvement District, architectural design firm Butler, Rosenbury & Partners and 105.9 KGBX.

UDA’s Jones said the hope is that by moving the parade to the afternoon, people will come downtown and make a day of it. Activities will start at 11 a.m. on Park Central Square.

“When it was at night, they would come down for the parade and then they’d leave,” Jones said.

After the parade, there will be activities such as ornament decorating at the Creamery Arts Center and free ice skating at Jordan Valley Ice Park.

“There’s just a lot of things that people can do once they come down here,” Jones said, noting that activities at the Springfield Exposition Center are not part of the 2006 post-parade activities, because the expo center has been rented for another use on parade day.

“The hope, though, in the future, is that we would add that back in, provided that the building is available for us to use,” she added.

UDA is counting on participation to make the parade a success. The deadline is Nov. 15 for school groups, nonprofit organizations, churches and businesses that want to be in the parade, either with floats or with performers, such as marching bands.

Entry fees are $150 for school groups, nonprofits and churches; businesses will pay $250.

Jones said parade participants from last year already have been contacted about the time change, and she expects to start sending out applications the week of Oct. 23.

There were about 75 participants in the 2005 parade.

“I would expect that or more this year,” Jones said, adding that the theme of the 2006 Christmas parade is Christmas Carnival.

“That can be interpreted in a lot of different ways, but fun is the underlying theme,” Jones said.

The parade’s downtown route has been slightly altered. It will begin at Mt. Vernon and Campbell, then head north on Campbell to Park Central West. It will proceed through the square, down St. Louis Street to Kimbrough Avenue. At Kimbrough, the parade will head north to Trafficway. It will then head east on Trafficway toward Jordan Valley Park.

“It’ll be more of a straight shot, which we feel will make it easier for the floats and the buses to maneuver,” Jones said.

I’ll be somewhere along the route, with kids – and their candy bags – in tow. I can’t wait to hear the music, see the floats and experience the good feelings and Christmas cheer that I know will come from the event.

I know there are folks who think parades are prettier at night – and it’s true, you can see the lights better – but if you ask me, going to a parade is a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Event Details

What: 2006 Springfield Christmas Parade

When: 1 p.m. Dec. 9

Where: Downtown Springfield, beginning at the intersection of Mount Vernon and Campbell

Applications deadline: Nov. 15. Entry fee is $150 for school groups, nonprofits and churches, and $250 for businesses.

More information: Call Urban Districts Alliance, (417) 831-6200.

Maria Hoover is Springfield Business Journal features editor. She can be reached at mhoover@sbj.net.[[In-content Ad]]