Christmas parade to kick off season downtown Nov. 28

Sleigh bells. Mistletoe. Reindeer. Colorful lights and decorations. And yes, even Santa Claus. It must be time once again for the annual Old Fashioned Downtown Fort Scott Christmas parade.

The second annual parade, which will make its way down Main Street, is scheduled for 6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 28. The parade, sponsored by the Downtown Division of the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, will feature school marching bands, a variety of floats, walking entries, and jolly Old Saint Nick himself riding in his giant sleigh.

Toward the end of the parade, Santa Claus will stop at Skubitz Plaza near the Fort Scott National Historic Site to light the gigantic 24-foot Christmas tree -- which a local committee put in place last year. The tree has grown four feet from last year's version.

In addition to the giant tree, also featured will be the more than $20,000 worth of decorations and a high quality public address and speaker system that members of the Downtown Division and other city officials installed last year.

The parade will follow the same route it took last year, starting at the corner of Old Fort Boulevard and National Avenue, continuing south to Third Street and then north on Main Street back to Skubitz Plaza for the official lighting of the Christmas tree.

Parade entrants will begin lining up at 5 p.m. at the Nu Grille Restaurant, 24 N. National Ave., with the help of chamber staff and volunteers. Parade entrants will be able to pick up numbers for the parade starting on Monday, Nov. 27 at the chamber visitor center, 231 E. Wall St.

Prizes will be awarded to the Best of Show, and to the top three overall entries, the chamber statement said.

After the parade, the public is invited to assemble downtown to enjoy refreshments, view new Christmas decorations and lights, and participate in a variety of other planned activities, a chamber statement said. Children will be able to visit Santa Claus in his workshop inside the Bourbon County Senior Citizens Center, 26 N. Main St., after the parade, the statement said.

The Downtown Division is now accepting parade entries, which are free and available to the public. Entry forms are available at the chamber visitor center, 231 E. Wall St., and the deadline for submitting entries is Wednesday, Nov. 22.

Call the chamber at (620) 223-3566 or stop by the visitor center for more information.