[StBernard] St. Bernard Christmas Parade rolls Saturday, December 4 at 3 p.m. - Parade ends with Santa and Mrs. Claus on a float and elves collecting children's letter. Party to follow in Torres Park.

[Westley Annis]

St. Bernard Christmas Parade rolls Saturday, December 4 at 3 p.m.

26-unit parade with seven floats will end with Santa and Mrs. Claus and
their elves who will collect children's letters to Santa along the parade
route

 

Families are invited to line the streets for the annual St. Bernard
Christmas Parade Saturday, December 4 at 3 p.m. to get a glance at Santa and
Mrs. Claus whose float will be surrounded by elves who will gather
children's letters to Santa. Anyone who includes a return address will
receive a letter from Santa before Christmas.

 

This year's Christmas Parade organized by the Celebrate St. Bernard
Committee and the St. Bernard Tourist Commission will have 26 units and
seven floats culminating with the one holding Santa and Mrs. Claus. This
parade promises to be much larger than last year's parade which was the
first since Hurricane Katrina.  The parade will begin at Chalmette High
School and travel west along Judge Perez Drive where it will end at Jean
Lafitte Parkway. 

 

The Torres Park Community Playground will be the setting for an after-parade
party featuring Santa and Mrs. Claus. Parents are encouraged to bring their
cameras. The Party in the Park will include community caroling, FREE hot
chocolate, cookies and crafts. 

 

The parade will include bands from Chalmette High School and Andrew Jackson,
Trist and St. Bernard middle schools. In addition to the bands, other
kid-friendly entertainment and units include several storybook characters as
well as McGruff of the Sheriff's Office, Sparky from the Fire Department,
Zephyr's Boudreaux, Ronald McDonald, the Shriners and the Clownettes. Look
for a special appearance by The Grinch. Other parade staples will include
the St. Bernard Riding Group, the Gulf Coast Trolley, the Jackson Barracks
Unit, the OEP Vehicle, Acadian Ambulance, an Entergy Truck and the Sheriff's
Office motorcycle unit. The Chalmette High School Ambassadors will fill in
as Santa's elves for the parade walking alongside the float for the route. 

 

The parade is being supported by many generous sponsors, most of whom are
sponsoring the floats at $1,000 a piece:

 

*	Parish President Craig P. Taffaro, Jr. is sponsoring two floats for
parish employees who have been recognized as outstanding employees.
*	Chalmette Refining and ExxonMobil Pipeline Company (EMPCo) is paying
for decorations and defraying costs associated with the Santa & Mrs. Claus
float.
*	Schools Superintendent Doris Voitier is sponsoring a float for the
schools' principals.
*	The Chalmette High School Chorus will perform on a float sponsored
by The Meraux Foundation.
*	The Knights of Columbus Rummel Council 5747 is sponsoring with
Louisiana Crawfish Festival proceeds a float carrying all of the parish's
festival queens.
*	Domino Sugar is sponsoring the Celebrate St. Bernard float.

 

Families are invited to the after-parade party where Santa will greet
children in his sleigh. In addition to Santa, the Party at the Playground
will include several free activities all sponsored by the generosity of
citizens, civic and neighborhood groups and businesses as well, including a
special donation by Murphy Oil USA to pay for 16 cypress trees just planted
near the Community Playground for school children to decorate annually for
Christmas. Community Christmas Caroling will be led by Trist Middle School
Chorus Director Peggy Wegener. Other activities at the after-parade party
will include: 

.       Music sound system donated by deejay David Quarterman

.       Caroling songbooks donated by Prudential Gardner and candles donated
by the Rotary Club

.       Cookie Decorating donated by Gulf Coast and Trist Cooking Club

.       Ornament Craft Making activity donated by Versailles Plantation
Neighborhood Association

.       Reindeer Food Activity donated by Chalmette Vista Neighborhood
Association

.       Sun catchers activity donated by Families Helping Families

.       Hot chocolate donated by Kiwanis Club of St. Bernard-Arabi

.       Water sold for $1 each by Kiwanis

.       Pizza sold for $1 per slice by Tourist Commission

.       Community Christmas Tree decorated by the Parks and Parkways
Commission 

.       Craft Tent provided by Emile Pellittieri

.       Celebrate St. Bernard Basket Raffle sponsored by the St. Bernard
Chamber of Commerce

.       Christmas parade t-shirts for sale at the event for $7 each or two
for $12 with festive candy canes in the shape of a fleur de lis providing
our message to "Celebrate St. Bernard." 

.       Lexington Place Civic Corp. and Rediscover District C are both
making cash donations to the celebration.

 

For more information, call Polly Campbell at 504-554-7134.

 

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