By Staff
North Pole celebrities along with an Old-World, Victorian Santa and even "Cat in the Hat" are among the 100 holiday units that will appear in the annual candle-light Christmas parade of the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, which is sure to transform downtown Dowagiac into a Victorian storybook setting.
The Friday evening, Dec. 5, the parade welcomes the return of an Old-World, Victorian Santa, along with Mrs. Claus, Santa's elf "Poinsettia" and an assortment of brilliantly lighted-parade entries that each year captivates the hearts of young and old.
The parade and its pre-parade entertainment, which will be emceed by returning Master of Ceremonies Tim Bennett, communications director of the Cass County Council on Aging, is part of Dowagiac's annual Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration.
Corporate sponsors of parade night and Open House Weekend events are: Dr. Matthew Cripe, Domino's Pizza, Felpausch Food Center, Huntington National Bank, Landmark Mortgage Group, Leader Publications (publisher of the Dowagiac Daily News), Q-92 Radio Station and Standard Federal Bank.
Vickie Phillipson, program director of the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Development Authority, who coordinated the holiday activities, said the Christmas parade, once it was moved to the early evening hours and became a parade of lights, continues to attract new and animated entries, making it one of the largest Christmas parades in southwestern Michigan.
The Old-World Santa, who is coming to Dowagiac from his Sinterklaus Reindeer Farm, will be transported in the parade by Jack Fryman of Fryman Carriage Service. The Victorian gentleman will be dressed in his finest attire, including a burgundy cape, with wool fleece lining and trim, and brocaded vest and knickers, which were tailored for him by Lemon Creek Limited, a designer of wedding gowns in Berrien Springs. His parson's shoes, adorned by the traditional large black buckle, are similar to those worn by the Pilgrims and were tailor-made by a firm in Shipshewana, Indiana.
Phillipson said the candle-light parade, which has saved room for six last-minute entries, is expected to number 100 units that will step off Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:30 p.m., traveling a downtown route to accommodate the growing event. Starting at the corner of Indiana Avenue and Main Street at Farr Park, the route travels Main, onto Front Street, then onto Division and back Depot Drive, as units encircle the central business district. At the request of the public, nine years ago the route was changed to include Depot Drive, thereby allowing senior citizens or the handicapped the opportunity to park their vehicles along Depot Drive where they can watch the event from the warmth of their cars.
The 30-minute dance performance will be headquartered on Front Street in front of the Master of Ceremony's viewing stage at the Beckwith Park and will run from 6:15 to 6:45 p.m.
Phillipson said due to preparations for the street performance, the Dowagiac Police Department will close Front Street, from Division to Commercial, at 5:30 p.m.
Immediately following the performance of Positively Dance, the harmonized vocalists of 4th Avenue will present their
performance atop the Master of Ceremony's viewing stage, located in front of the Beckwith Park.
Phillipson said many Front Street stores will be open later for parade night to accommodate shoppers. New this year, with the opening of The Rose Gallery of the Dowagiac Art Guild, parade goers can celebrate a White Christmas at the downtown gallery, located at the rear of Daylight Donuts, from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The White Christmas exhibit continues through the end of December.
Families can warm up with hot chocolate, mulled cider, coffee and the hand-dipped chocolates of Caruso's Candy Kitchen, from 6 to 8 p.m. at its Front Street sidewalk booth.
Beginning at 6 p.m., Dowagiac resident Leon "Andy" Anderson will appear in Victorian attire as a town crier, mingling with passersby on the sidewalk, distributing holiday favorites to children. The tolling sound of this town crier's hand-bell will announce the start of the parade and return of the Old-World, Victorian Santa, whose appearance in The Grand Old City is made possible each year by Huntington National Bank.
Chamber officials will honor award-winning parade entries with the presentation of six engraved trophies, which will be announced Monday, Dec. 8. These include: the Mistletoe Award of Excellence, for the best float; the Jingle Bell Award of Excellence for best musical entry; Santa's Award of Excellence for the best marching unit; Rudolph's Award of Excellence for the best horse unit; the Elf's Award of Excellence for the best children's unit; and the Chamber's Choice Award of Excellence that is presented by the parade chairman.
During pre-parade entertainment, Phillipson said, winning tickets of the Celebration Graduation 2004 Appliance Raffle will be drawn atop the Master of Ceremony's viewing stage. Celebration Graduation 2004 takes place on graduation night, June 6, during an all-night evening of activities for graduating seniors, which is held within a safe, alcohol-free environment. The raffle is one of the many fundraisers planned throughout the year to provide funding for the event. Winners of the drawing will be announced prior to the start of the 7:30 p.m. parade.
Dowagiac's picturesque central business district, which Michigan Monthly Magazine calls "one of the three best small downtowns in the State," is already brimming with holiday cheer as Victorian lampposts are decked in greenery, giant wreaths are laced with brilliant red bows and tiny white lights, and bright, whimsical Christmas tree banners take their proud position on banner poles.
Officials have allowed room in the parade for last-minute parade units to enter. To make arrangements to appear in the parade, call the Chamber of Commerce at (269) 782-8212.
Units that will appear in the parade and their number in line includes the following:
1. Andy Anderson as a Victorian-dressed Town Crier leads parade
2. Mrs. Claus Debbie Peters &Santa's Elf Bernie Laymon marching unit
3. Dowagiac Police Department vehicle
4. Dowagiac Fire Department fire truck #1
5. Dowagiac Fire Department fire truck #2
6. Dowagiac Volunteer Ambulance Service
7. Indian Lake Fire Department fire truck #1
8. Indian Lake Fire Department fire truck #2
9. Indian Lake Fire Department fire truck #3
10. Pokagon Volunteer Fire Department fire truck(s)
11. Wayne Township Fire Department fire truck(s)
12. Sister Lakes Fire Department fire truck(s)
13. Cass County Sheriff's Department vehicle
14. Dowagiac VFW marching unit
15. Dowagiac VFW float
16. Victorian Carolers of Footlight Players Theatre marching unit from Michigan City, IN
17. Cass County United Way marching unit
18. The Eau Claire Bag Ladies marching unit
19. Girl Power marching unit
20. Richard Veit as Abe Lincoln marching unit from Coloma
21. Ed West on a bicycle
22. Zana Smallen &her Memorable Miniature Horses marching unit
23. Cub Scout Pack 62 of Sister Lakes &Eau Claire marching unit
24. Open for late marching unit
25. Open for late marching unit
26. American Floor &Home Store unit pulled by 4-wheeler
27. Encore Dance Company marching unit
28. Old-World Victorian Santa escorted by Jack Fryman horse-drawn carriage
29. Encore Dance Company float
30. Mayor Don Lyons and City Councilmen's vehicle #1
31. City Council vehicle #2
32. Central Middle School Band under the direction of Tom Stansifer
33. Miss Niles/Brandywine 2004 Jessica Cornelius &her Court's vehicle #1
34. Miss Niles/Brandywine 2004 &Court's vehicle #2
35. First General Baptist Church float from Benton Harbor
36. Mr. &Mrs. Riverfest 2003 Kevin Blair &Heather Schultz &Runners-Up in a motorized vehicle
37. Felpausch Food Center float
38. Four Flags Apple Festival float from Niles
39. M-40 Hustlers wagon
40. Miss Decatur Float featuring Miss Decatur Jackie Bohm &her Court
41. Dowagiac Missionary Baptist Church float
42. State Sen. Ron Jelinek of Three Oaks on a gator
43. Friendly Folks 4-H float
44. Niles Shrine Club float
45. St. John's Lutheran Church float
46. American Red Cross truck &trailer from Kalamazoo
47. Caruso Candy Kitchen's "Candy Land" float celebrating 81 years of business
48. Miss Cass/St. Joe County Pageant vehicle featuring Jessica Cuthbert
49. Southwestern Michigan College band members, under the direction of Dr. Jonathan Korzun, transported by The Burton Family
50. Open for late motorized unit
51. Cub Scout Pack 531 float
52. Country Clover 4-H float
53. A-1 Expert Tree Service truck #1
54. A-1 Expert Tree Service truck #2
55. 2004 Miss Southwest Michigan Austyn Mayfield &2004 Miss Southwest Michigan Teen Paige Olaey in motorized vehicle
56. Wright Snow Plowing of Cassopolis truck #1
57. Wright Snow Plowing truck #2
58. Positively Dance marching unit
59. Positively Dance float
60. Open for late motorized unit
61. Louie the Lightning Bug of the American Electric Power Company of Three Rivers motorized unit
62. Cross Excavating &Demolition's "Cat in the Hat" holiday float
63. Cass County Youth Council vehicle
64. Ronald McDonald and Hamburgler from Dowagiac McDonald's transported by Haggin Wimberley auto dealerships
65. Sister Lakes Business Association float
66. McKinley Elementary School float, celebrating 100 years of service
67. Dowagiac Chieftain Marching Band under the direction of Jeff Comfort
68. Miss Dowagiac Float featuring Miss Dowagiac Kristin Rose &her Court
69. School bus of Dowagiac Union Schools
70. Open for late motorized unit
71. Victory Tabernacle float entitled "Jesus is the Reason for the Season"
72. Toys for Tots motorized unit from Cassopolis
73. Dowagiac AYSO Youth Soccer float entitled "Everyone Plays"
74. Orak Shrine vehicle from Niles
75. Penn Friends Church float from Cassopolis
76. Lake Effect Power Sports vehicle #1
77. Lake Effect Power Sports vehicle #2
78. Lake Effect Power Sports vehicle #3
79. Earl Cook and his Elvis Mobile from Cassopolis
80. Open for late motorized unit
81. Cass County Council on Aging float from Cassopolis
82. The Q-92 Machine
83. Dowagiac Equestrian Team float entitled "Life is a Christmas Carousel"
84. True's Towing Service truck #1
85. True's Towing Service truck #2
86. 4-W 4-H float from Wayne Township
87. Niles 4-Flags Snowmobile Club trail groomer
88. Organ Transplants of Southwestern Michigan float
89. Caldwell's Tree Service truck #1 from Watervliet
90. Caldwell's Tree Service truck #2
91. Girl Scouts of Singing Sands wagon
92. North Red Hill 4-H float
93. North Red Hill 4-H horse unit
94. Shining Star Llama 4-H Club of Berrien Springs marching llama unit
95. Cass County Fair King John Klapchuck, and Queen &Miss Congeniality Emily Westendorp in horse-drawn wagon
96. Agape Vaulters horse unit from Eau Claire
97. Open for late horse unit
98. The Little Angels horse-drawn wagon
99. Drafted! 4-H Club horse unit featuring Percheron draft horses
100. Cass County Sheriff's Department Mounted Division