One of the more ingenious floats in the 2019 Downtown Beaver Dam Inc. Holiday Parade was this entry from Annabelle's Ice Cream Parlor. The float included the things the location is known for including ice cream, hot dogs and Christmas trees. This year the parade will be held in reverse, with floats parked on the roadside and cars and walkers doing the traveling.
Beaver Dam will host its first – and hopefully last – reverse holiday parade Dec. 5, 5:30 to 7 p.m.
The floats and other entries will be arranged along the street. Viewers will drive in their cars or walk down the opposite sidewalk.
The concept is designed to be COVID-safe in which person-to-person contact is minimized, while still allowing for holiday season fun.
The theme is “Let the Holidays Sparkle,” which may serve as inspiration for parade entries and store windows alike.
All of Dodge County is being invited to participate, and to promote their own businesses, groups or causes. Entries can include floats, groups holding signs, people in costumes or other creative options.
This year’s route will begin off South Center Street Street to Ryan Cantafio’s Way, turns north on Madison Street, heads east on Front Street, turns south on South Center Street and ends at Mill Street. Entries will line up on the north side of Front Street and the east side of South Spring Street.
The route will be one-way only with opposite lanes closed for safety.
Beaver Dam Police officers and members of the Police Department Auxiliary will make sure that drivers keep their speed down and proceed at a reasonable pace. They will also maintain order as those viewing on foot negotiate intersections or pause for a closer look.
“It has been a tough year, and we’re looking forward to celebrating the holidays in the safest, healthiest way that we can,” said parade committee co-chair Bev Beal Loeck. “With the reverse parade we’re hoping people can come out and have a great time. I think having the option of staying in a nice warm car while driving through the route is a plus. Of course we’re looking forward to going back to the way it was, but for now we’re doing the best we can, given pandemic limitations.”
Treats will not be thrown to children, but will be gathered together into a bag that will be distributed to vehicle occupants and walkers. Santa may be visiting by drive-through, although details are yet to be finalized.
Organizers stress that deadlines for entry forms will be strictly enforced.
“We don’t want big entries having the parallel park along the streets so we’re hoping to stagger their arrivals,” said co-chair Kristi Hartzheim. “In everything we’re doing this year we’re trying to keep it as safe and simple as we can.”
Parade entry forms may be found on the Downtown Beaver Dam Inc. website, bddowntown.com, or by emailing Beal Loeck at bevbl129@gmail.com.
The fee to enter is $20. Merchants and others downtown may enter their windows for free. Forms will be delivered. Prizes for top entries will be awarded.
The annual coloring contest will continue with entry forms at the service desks of Piggly Wiggly stores in Juneau, Randolph, Lomira and Beaver Dam; and at Rechek’s Food Pride in Beaver Dam. They may also be printed out from the Downtown Beaver Dam Inc. website, bddowntown.com. Entries will be collected at drop-boxes outside the Dodge County Center for the Arts (DCCA), 130 W. Maple Ave., and at The Watermark, 209 S. Center St.
Winners will receive a prize and their entries will be on display at the DCCA during the holidays.
The “After Party” will not be held to avoid large groups assembling.
“This is the plan today,” said Hartzheim. “As we well know things can change, but for now this is our plan and we’re hopeful we can move ahead with it.”
More information and forms may be found online at bddowntown.com, or email Beal Loeck at bevbl129@gmail.com or Hartzheim at khartzheim68@gmail.com.
Sign up now to get the most recent coronavirus headlines and other important local and national news sent to your email inbox daily.
November 03, 2020 at 06:00AM
https://ift.tt/3295D5P
Reverse holiday parade planned in Beaver Dam | Regional news - Beaver Dam Daily Citizen
https://ift.tt/2QoXNjh
Holiday
No comments:
Post a Comment