Holiday parade hits downtown Friday
This year’s parade is slated to be the largest in its history, with more than 50 floats entered and a pre-parade lighting planned at the Laramie Railroad Depot.
Downtown Laramie will come alive this Friday as thousands of attendees brave freezing temperatures to witness the annual Holiday Parade.
This year’s floats are encouraged to take inspiration from “Santa’s Toy Shop” — the famed North Pole manufacturing hub — so parade attendees can expect elves, candy canes, and other North Pole imagery Friday night as the procession snakes its way through downtown.
Ana Castro, program coordinator for Laramie Main Street Alliance, said more than 50 floats have been registered ahead of this year’s parade.
“It's pretty big,” she said. “It's actually the biggest one we’ve had.”
Santa Claus traditionally occupies a privileged position on the parade’s main float. This year, that float is being worked up by Tough Guys Landscaping and Lighting and the Laramie Kiwanis Club.
“I can't imagine what they’re going to come up with,” Castro said. “That’s the one that all the kids watch out for.”
The night begins at 5 p.m. with a Holiday Expo at the Laramie Railroad Depot. The expo is free to attend and features music from the Laramie High School string ensemble, as well as a number of booths staffed by organizations from around town. Refreshments will be provided by the Laramie Soup Kitchen, for which donations are encouraged.
“Then at 6 p.m., we have the train lighting,” Castro said, adding that just outside the depot, attendees will be treated to a brilliant display. “This one is the biggest and the baddest of them all because, for the first time since we started doing this, we have Tough Guys doing the lighting on the train.”
Previously, the historic snow train in Depot Park had been lit by everyday volunteers, but this year, Tough Guys is volunteering its own expertise to make the display something special.
The Downtown Holiday Parade itself kicks off at 6:30 p.m., beginning at the intersection of Fremont and Second Streets. The floats will come south along Second Street, eventually turning west on Sheridan before coming all the way back up First Street.
“We’re on the route for the Jubilee Days Parade, except it’s 32 degrees out,” Castro said.
Attendees will actually be lucky if it’s 32 degrees when they gather after sunset for this year’s Downtown Holiday Parade. The forecast for Friday shows an afternoon high just above freezing.
Laramie Main Street is also launching two holiday fundraisers.
The first is the Cause a Flurry fundraiser, for which Laramie Main Street board members will match donations up to $2,000. The money raised will support businesses in the downtown area, beautification efforts and special events.
“We just ask people to make a one-time donation during the holidays,” Castro said.
With their donation, participants buy a snowflake, which will bear their name and will be displayed in the First Street Plaza kiosk through this month and into the new year. Different colors will denote the amount of the donation.
Holiday Expo attendees can make a donation during the expo itself and anyone can make a donation through Laramie Main Street’s website.
On Saturday, the day following the parade, a second fundraiser will take place at Chipotle Mexican Grill. The business, which opened a chain in Laramie this year, will donate one-third of orders placed during the dinner rush from 4-8 p.m.