Chelsea’s Christmas Village returns with annual parade
For the second year, Chelsea Christmas Parade festivities are being expanded to include the Chelsea Christmas Village, a market that will feature holiday sweets, stocking stuffers and gifts at the end of the parade route.
The parade begins Dec. 21 at 10 a.m. at Chelsea Intermediate School and ends at Winn-Dixie, where the Christmas Village will be operated from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. in the acreage behind the shopping center. The Village, sponsored by the Yellowleaf Ridge Estates Homeowner Association, is serving as a fundraiser to build a new park in the neighborhood.
“Chelsea’s Christmas Parade is a cherished community tradition, attended by families from far and near,” said Brenda Mellen with the Christmas Village. “We will be hosting various vendors and artisans from throughout the state while enjoying good food, family fun and local holiday entertainment. The Village hosted over 75 vendors last year.”
In the parade, residents can see floats featuring local businesses along with participants waving from cars and trucks. The Chelsea High School Marching Band will play while Chelsea’s schools and youth club sports teams participate with team members and cheerleaders.
Many local churches are also part of the event and decorate floats, and every year Santa Claus brings up the rear of the procession.
For the parade, amateur floats are encouraged, and a limited number of professional floats can also be purchased. For safety concerns, motorcycles and ATVs may not be entered in the parade. Additionally, parade placement will not be available until arrival at the school. In order to reduce traffic congestion in the line-up area, all groups must meet at an alternate location and come to the parade line-up as a single group.
For more on the parade or in the event of inclement weather, visit cityofchelsea.com or call 678-8455. For more on the Christmas Village or to find a vendor application, visit yellowleafhoa.com and click on “Christmas Village 2013.”
– From staff reports