Want to participate in the upcoming Foley Christmas Parade?

By Jessica Vaughn
Posted 11/13/18

FOLEY – Who’s ready for the holidays? Christmas is just around the corner, but before that, mark your calendars for Saturday, Dec. 8, for the 2018 Annual Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade! The …

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Want to participate in the upcoming Foley Christmas Parade?

2017 Annual Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade.
2017 Annual Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade.
Photo by Jessica Vaughn
Posted

FOLEY – Who’s ready for the holidays? Christmas is just around the corner, but before that, mark your calendars for Saturday, Dec. 8, for the 2018 Annual Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade! The parade will begin at 10 a.m., with participants lining up between the Foley Armory and the Library.

If you’re interested in participating in the holiday event, then the steps to do so are easy: just visit FoleyKiwanisClub.com, click on the Parade Application Link, print and fill out the form, and then submit it back. You can either scan the document and email it to the Kiwanis Club (link on the website) or John Jackson (jjackson@cityoffoley.org), or you can drop off the completed form at the Foley Public Library for John Jackson.

Jackson will be calling past participants and those who have shown prior interest leading up to the parade, but the Club is always looking for new participants and encourages those interested to fill out an application.

Lineup will begin on parade day beginning at 8 a.m., and the Club will be doing things a bit differently this year.

“It will be first come, first serve on number,” said Jackson. “So if you’re fifth there, you’ll be fifth in line. This makes it much easier to get everyone situated, and gives us a correct tally on who’s in what position in the parade line for the announcer.”

Plaques and cash awards will be awarded to civic organizations, and for businesses there will be plaques for the top four participants. Independent judges will be judging floats during the parade. Winning participants will receive the call within the following week so they can pick up their awards.

Cars, floats, trucks, marchers, dance troops, bands, motorcycles, and tractors are all allowed to participate. The Foley Kiwanis Club asks that participants avoid using Santa on their float as there is a dedicated float to Santa Claus at the end of the parade.

“Other than avoiding using Santa, the theme can be whatever you want it to be,” Jackson said. “We’ve got a lot of creative people who have come up with really neat ideas in the past and made some amazing floats.”

Immediately following the parade will be Let It Snow in Heritage Park, beginning at 11 a.m. Everyone is invited to visit the park and experience the magic of “snow” thanks to the City of Foley.

“I’d like to thank the City of Foley for all their assistance for getting this parade underway every year,” said Jackson. “I’d also like to thank the first responders in the police and fire departments for all they do. They man vehicles and the parade route, shut down roads, and provide a lot of safety for a large number of people, so those guys are always on top of it and I want to say I appreciate it every year. The city supports us whole-heartedly and they’re good at what they do.”

Another large helper to the Foley Kiwanis Club Christmas Parade is the Key Club of Foley High School, who not only help out with the parade lineup, they also do security and safety for children along the route, following alongside popular floats to make sure children stay a safe distance away.

“We’re really happy with the Key Club, they do a great job and I look forward to working with them again,” Jackson said.

Save the date for Dec. 8 and come out to the streets of Downtown Foley for the Christmas Parade! For more information on applying to participate and the parade route, check the Kiwanis Club website at www.foleykiwanisclub.com.