Santa Claus parades, also called Christmas parades, are parades held in some countries to celebrate the official opening of the Christmas season with the arrival of Santa Claus who always appears in the last float. The parades usually include themed floats, dancing or marching groups, and bands playing Christmas songs. They are moving pageants that typically end near the center of a city. They frequently have department store sponsorships, which could improve the store’s brand recognition during the crucial Christmas shopping season.
Peoria, Illinois has the longest-running Santa Claus Parade in the U.S. The parade celebrated its 131st edition on November 23, 2018. The first parade in 1887 consisted of boats and derricks sailing down the river as part of the new bridge construction. In 1888, Peoria held a parade through town, celebrating the completion of the new Upper Free Bridge.
The following December, Frederick Block of the Schipper and Block Department Store (later Block & Kuhl’s) sponsored a parade that followed the same route and featured Santa Claus. This created the concept of a department-store parade that was later emulated in larger cities. Various attractions in the parade through the years included fireworks, circus wagons, a calliope, live reindeer, and numerous parade floats. The parade was first televised in 1958.
Peoria Area Community Events (PACE) is pleased to announce the theme of the 135th Annual Santa Claus Parade is “Winter Wonderland”. The parade, scheduled to step off at 9:15 a.m. on November 25, 2022, is the longest-running holiday parade in the country. The parade features costumed characters, novelty walking units, decorated floats, marching bands, and of course Santa Claus.
According to en.wikipedia.org; eventcrazy.com. Source of photos: internet
