Celebrate the holiday season at the Santa parade on November 28, 2009, at 10:00AM, featuring colorful holiday floats, marching bands, and a special visit from Santa Claus.  Enjoy live children’s entertainment before the parade and lots of fun for the whole family!  Bring some chairs and find a spot for you and your family anywhere along the parade route.

The parade will start at Ninth and I streets and travel through downtown.  The parade will travel east on I Street from its start at Ninth and to 13th streets, south on 13th Street near the Convention Center, west on L Street, and north on Seventh Street. It will disband at Seventh and K streets. Announcers will be located on I Street between Ninth and 10th and at 11th and L streets.

The Downtown Santa Parade that was canceled last month because of lack of funds, but rescued with leftover campaign funds by our new Mayor, Kevin Johnson, is re-scheduled for Saturday, December 20, at 10:00AM.  Something else fun and free to do with the kids for Christmas. 

So let’s all wear our warm coats and celebrate the holiday season downtown at the Santa Parade with a special visit from Santa Claus. The parade begins at Sacramento City Hall and travels down I Street and turns on 13th street past the convention center and the IMAX Theatre. The parade turns again on L Street and continues past the State Capitol and Hyatt Hotel. The parade makes its final turn on 7th Street and ends at the Westfield Downtown Plaza Mall and Ice Rink at 7th and K Streets.

Santa Parade Saturday, Dec 20

What a great way to start his first term as Sacramento’s Mayor, Kevin Johnson is going to donate excess campaign funds to save the Santa Parade!  Adam Mendelsohn, an advisor to Johnson, said that since the swearing-in came in under budget they decided to donate the $20,000 needed to save the parade.

A formal announcement is planned during a news conference at 2:00PM Sunday at the downtown ice rink at 7th and K Streets.  Johnson wanted to save the parade for sentimental and business reason.  “This is too important of a tradition not to continue.”   Laurie Hensley, parade coordinator, said the event won’t occur on the traditional Saturday after Thanksgiving, but it will be held in December.

Sacramento Santa Parade is On Again!

This may be the year the Grinch really steals Christmas!  For 25 years Santa has been coming to Sacramento for a parade on the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, but not this year.  The 26th annual parade was scheduled for November 29, but Laurie Hensley, the parade organizer, announced today the parade has been called off.  Because of the economic downturn, there weren’t enough private businesses that signed up as sponsors and advertisers, she said.  Even Santa can’t dodge the fallout from our economic meltdown.

It’s a sad day in Whovillle (Sacramento) when we can’t raise enough money for a parade for Santa.  The parade was always held during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend and drew crowds of up to 25,000.  It helped draw people to downtown Sacramento because people could eat and shop afterwards.

Hensley said the cancellation is intended as a one-year break.  Planning for the 2009 parade has already started.  Anyone interested in helping with the 2009 Santa Parade can call (916) 451-6200.

No Santa Parade for Sacramento