The House Springs Lions Club is seeking entries for its 18th annual Christmas Parade set for Saturday, Dec. 9.
Registration for the parade began this week, with the first in-person sign-up held Tuesday, Nov. 28 at the Jefferson County Library Northwest Branch in High Ridge.
Lions Club parade chairperson Kim Fanter said the theme for this year’s parade will be “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” and all participants are encouraged, but not required, to stick with the theme when decorating their vehicle.
“It’s a great community event,” Fanter said. “If people go with the theme, great, but if they can’t and still want to do a float, all the better.”
Parade participants have two more chances to sign up for the annual event at the library, 5680 Hwy. PP, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2, and from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 6. Registration costs $15 per group.
Parade entries will line up at 5 p.m. in the Faith Community Church parking lot, 4824 Scottsdale Road, with the parade starting at 7 p.m.
The parade will proceed right onto Conrad Smith Drive to Dulin Creek Road and then to Hwy. MM, ending at the intersection of Hillsboro-House Springs Road and Hwy. MM.
“There will be lots of lights, lots of floats,” Fanter said. “It’s a nighttime event so the vehicles and the floats are kind of illuminated.”
Fanter said she hopes to see an increase in the number of parade entries this year.
“I think the churches and the schools have dropped off a little bit (in participation), and even like the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts, too,” she said. “Maybe that will change up this year a little bit.”
Fanter said both the participation in the parade and the number of people who line the route varies every year. In the past, she said as many as 4,000 people would attend the event.
Fanter said the parade is a great way to celebrate Christmas.
“The purpose is to bring this community together for one night every year,” she said. “It’s just really cool to see all the people out.”
For more information about the parade, contact Fanter at 314-422-8788 or kimrnpat@sbcglobal.net.