We are getting ready to welcome Santa at the Escanaba Christmas Parade Dec. 5. Santa will wrap up the parade and then greet children at the Escanaba Marketplace. Escanaba does have the longest small town downtown in Michigan, jam packed with unique shops, great restaurants and dedicated businesses ready to welcome you. Friday, Dec. 6, Escanaba gets ready for the holidays with a parade at 6 p.m. under the lit garland that lines Ludington Street. More than 65 area businesses and organizations will have floats and presentations in the parade.

PARADE START
The parade will start at 6 p.m. Those in the parade will begin to line up at 5 p.m. The parade will start at city hall at 5th Street.

PARADE ROUTE
The 1-mile long parade will run west on Ludington Street from City Hall to Stephenson Avenue. Those in the parade can end at the Upper Elementary School parking lot by going down 1st Avenue North from Stephenson Avenue. 

HOT CHOCOLATE
Need to warm up? Several businesses will be offering hot chocolate along the parade route for parade goers to enjoy. They are:
    • Elks Lodge #354 — 510 Ludington Street
    • Hereford & Hops Steakhouse and Brewpub — 624 Ludington Street
    • Leigh's Garden Winery — 904 Ludington Street
    • Grab & Go — 922 Ludington Street
    • Ludington Grill — 1110 Ludington Street
    • Escanaba Marketplace — 1501 Ludington Street

SANTA AT THE MARKETPLACE
Following the parade, Santa will greet kids and pose for pictures at the Escanaba Marketplace at the corner of 15th and Ludington Streets. There will be hot chocolate and music as well.

PRINCE AND PRINCESS
A Prince and Princess will be chosen at random to serve as the grand marshalls of the parade. It is a great tradition to involve youth in the parade. Register at escanabadowntown.com/prince-and-princess. The drawing will be Monday, Dec. 1 at 8:30 a.m. on 680 am and 94.5 fm WDBC.

There is a lot of excitement for the parade. See you in downtown Escanaba on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 p.m.