Springfield Christmas parade set for Saturday

Rain or shine, the parade will begin at 1 p.m. at Campbell Avenue and Mount Vernon Street and continue north on Campbell to Park Central West; the parade will turn right on Park Central West, proceed through the south side of Park Central Square onto Park Central East to Kimbrough Avenue, and turn left on Kimbrough Avenue to Trafficway Street. The parade will head right on Trafficway and end in front of Jordan Valley Park.

Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce President Jim Anderson will serve as grand marshal of the parade, riding in a Rolls Royce provided by J. Howard Fisk Limousines, according to an Urban Districts Alliance news release.

In keeping with this year’s storybook theme, attendees are asked to help fill two construction track-loader buckets from The Victor L. Phillips Co. with new or gently used children’s books that will be donated to members of the community through The Kitchen and Ozarks Literacy Council. Participants in the book drive will receive a buy-one-dozen, get-one-dozen-free coupon from Krispy Kreme, as the Krispy Kreme truck will follow the track loaders in the parade.