Santa Claus is coming to town a little early this year — and he’s going to make quite the entrance.
The City of Boulder’s first Main Street Christmas Parade will take place Dec. 1, beginning at 6:00 p.m. The parade procession will begin at Hauser Street, making a loop and ending at Veterans Park for the start of the city’s annual lighting ceremony.
Following the lighting ceremony, hot cocoa and cookies from The Sweet Spot will be offered at City Hall, as well as children’s activities, a coloring contest, and the opportunity to take a photo with Kris Kringle himself.
Conceived by City Councilman Bear Taylor, the new celebration will take the place of Boulder’s Main Street caroling of years past. Taylor’s original goal was to begin a new tradition in the county, hoping to generate renewed holiday excitement and involvement while tapping into the Christmas spirit and encouraging more community participation.
“Each year we get more residents out for the Christmas festivities, but we always thought we could do more,” Taylor explains. He nods to the popularity of Boulder’s other parades, and says that, as a lifelong car guy, launching a parade just makes sense.
City Clerk Megan McCauley, a Helena native who grew up attending that city’s Parade of Lights, says the popular event helped inspire Boulder’s newest holiday celebration. And since Helena’s event is moving toward a “Christmas stroll” approach rather than a parade this year, McCauley hopes Boulder’s event may draw visitors from across the county and even Helena, getting everyone in the Christmas spirit a little early.
“It’s the first year, and we’re hoping as time passes it heats up and becomes another big Boulder tradition like the lighting ceremony,” McCauley said.
Taylor hopes residents will choose to join in the festivities by dressing up and decking the halls of their ride, suggesting that community members arrive on anything from a float to a horse to a side-by-side.
McCauley says those interested in walking or riding in the parade should line up at Hauser Street no later than 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 1. There is no application process or fee required, but she offers one tip: “It’ll be dark by 6:00 — make sure you string up a lot of lights!”
