Santa Claus will be busy the first week of December taking part in the Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade and the Pevely-Herculaneum Christmas Parade.
The Twin City parade will starts at 7 p.m. Monday, Dec. 2, and the Pevely-Herculaneum Christmas Parade begins at 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5.
Those who want to enter either parade must register by Monday, Nov. 25.
Twin City parade
The 75th annual Twin City Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade will be held a bit later than usual this year due to a quirk in the calendar, said Mary Zebrowski, chamber executive.
“It’s always the first Monday after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving is late this year,” she said.
Despite the later date, people can expect all the fun and spectacle the parade typically offers, Zebrowski said.
The parade theme is “Christmas Through the Decades.”
“Pick a decade and decorate accordingly,” she said.
There’s still time to enter the parade, and registration is free, Zebrowski said.
“We have 70 so far,” she said Nov. 14. “We had about 90 last year. That includes floats, cars and trucks, dance groups, high school marching bands, other groups.”
Those who take part in the parade are asked to line up by 6 p.m. on the east end of the route, she said.
“It lines up on Mississippi Avenue and neighboring streets in Crystal City,” Zebrowski said.
From that area, the parade travels west on Bailey Road, which becomes Main Street in Festus, finishing in front of the Festus Public Library, 40 W. Main St.
“It usually lasts about two hours,” Zebrowski said.
Santa will be in the parade, she said.
The chamber will distribute sweet treats to the youngsters in the crowd lining the streets, Zebrowski said.
“We are making 3,500 bags of candy to give out to kids,” she said. “The clowns will give them out.”
Zebrowski said the Christmas parade is a popular holiday tradition in the Twin City area.
“People like the small-town feel,” she said. “You see your neighbors or your neighbors’ kids or your family or friends in it.”
To register, call 636-931-7697 or visit twincitychamber.com.
Pevely-Herculaneum parade
The 14th annual Pevely-Herculaneum Christmas Parade will follow the event’s usual route, but the place where it starts has a new name.
Lineup begins at 5 p.m. and ends at 6:30 p.m. at the William C. Haggard City Park, formerly Herculaneum City Park, 776 Joachim Ave.
The city renamed the park after Haggard, a longtime Herculaneum fire chief and mayor, who died in May.
“(The parade) starts at Haggard City Park and goes on Joachim Avenue to Commercial Boulevard (Hwy. 61-67) to left on Lion’s Drive in Pevely. It turns onto Old State Road and proceeds to Pevely Main Street, ending at the intersection of Main Street and Joachim Avenue,” said Linda Miles, a parade organizer and Pevely’s deputy city clerk.
She said the theme of this year’s parade is “Hometown Christmas.”
“We’d expect around 70 units (motor vehicles, floats, marching bands, walking units, etc.),” Miles said. “Like normal.”
Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus will participate, she said.
Both Pevely and Herculaneum will choose a grand marshal for the parade. As of Monday, Pevely’s grand marshal was still to be announced, Miles said.
Herculaneum Mayor Ryan Wright said Todd Schutte will be that city’s parade grand marshal.
“He’s part owner of Twin City Toyota,” Wright said. “He really supports the community. He donates to community causes. He’s one of our major park donations people. He’s a really good guy.”
Miles said the parade helps get the community into the Christmas spirit.
“I think it will be a great kickoff for the Christmas season,” she said. “I hope the weather continues to cooperate.”
There is no charge to take part in the parade.
To register or for more information, call Herculaneum City Hall at 636-475-4447 or Pevely City Hall at 636-475-4452 or visit the Herculaneum or Pevely Facebook pages.