Holiday/Christmas Parade, Related Activities Expected to Draw 20,000 to Saline

A new release from the Saline Area Chamber of Commerce:

Saline Michigan’s 38th Annual Holiday/Christmas Parade in downtown Saline is set for the evening of Saturday, Dec. 7, and it’s shaping up to be another major happening for the Saline area community.

“It’s amazing” says Art Trapp, Executive Director from the Saline Area Chamber of Commerce, which is coordinating the event.  “Every year the Parade Committee goes out of its way to outdo the previous year and this time it’s no different.”

“In recent years our Holiday/Christmas Parade has grown into a big attraction in southeast Michigan and crowds grow bigger and bigger each year.”

Trapp estimates that with the parade and all the events leading up to it and the week following, Saline will attract in excess of 20,000 people to the area.  

“The parade itself has become a big budget operation and we’re very fortunate to have the ongoing support of business and individual sponsors in the City of Saline who help make it all work”.

According to Trapp, Saline’s unofficial shopping season is about to kick off with this coming weekend’s traditional holiday open houses at downtown retailers such as Pineapple House and The Cobblestone Rose, two of Saline’s most stalwart downtown shops.  

“People wait with anticipation for days, even months, to be one of the first to see what unique things these stores have to offer and that gives the downtown a special holiday atmosphere,” Trapp says.

The downtown tree lighting will be turned on at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6., when the official Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony takes place on the corner of Michigan Avenue and N. Ann Arbor Street.  

This is a family friendly event with entertainment and refreshments.

The Dec. 7 Holiday/Christmas Parade theme is “A Charlie Brown Christmas.”  It will feature Miss Michigan, bands, twirlers, unicyclists, animals, and professional-level entertainment of all kinds along with the traditional Santa arriving at the end to greet hordesof excited children of all ages. The Parade begins at 5:30 p.m., with Michigan Avenue closing to traffic at 5 p.m.  Early arrival is recommended and there will be a free shuttle coach available from 4-8 p.m. between Busch’s Shopping Center and the shuttle stop in the parking lot behind Mac’s Acadian Seafood Shack.  

The Grand Prize winner of $1,000 worth of Busch’s Groceries along with the three other Grocery Raffle prize winners will be drawn at various times during the parade.

Immediately following the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be available at “Santa’s Village” at Stone Arch Arts and Events, 117 South Ann Arbor S.  Visitors are advised to bring a camera for pictures.

At Stone Arch Arts and Events during the entire weekend, the Saline Area Players will be performing “Silent Night, The Real(ish) Story.”  All of last year’s performances sold out and early reservations are recommended.  Visit www.salineareaplayer.org for further details.

There are more events planned for the week following the Holiday Parade, including two more nights for kids to visit Santa at Santa’s Village on Monday and Tuesday, Dec. 9-10, from 6-8 p.m.

On Friday, five lucky winners will be drawn each to receive a giant stocking of gifts donated by local merchants.  

The popular “Treasure Trail to Santa” will be held Saturday, Dec. 14, at Busch’s Shopping Center from 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.  Santa will again be on hand along with horse-drawn carriage rides and more fun for kids of all ages.  

For more details see the Chamber’s website, www.salinechamber.org.