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 Logan County Tourism Bureau hosted the event.
In planning, LCTB board members debated how to celebrate Christmas
in the years-old-tradition without jeopardizing the health and
wellbeing of the community.
The answer finally came in a “thinking outside the box” suggestion
that, that the parade be conducted in a backward motion. Instead of
having people gather shoulder-to-shoulder to view the floats and
other entries passing by, the parade would be flipped. The flip was
that the floats and other entries would gather on the streets, and
the crowds would take to their vehicles and drive past each entry.
Thursday evening, it was obvious from beginning to end the planning
and organization was successful.
The cruise was to start at 7 p.m., but by 6:30 p.m. cars were
already filling the parking lot at the Lincoln Community High
School. Two rows of vehicles the entire length of the parking lot
quickly became four rows before 7 p.m. and cars continued to arrive
even after the official start time of the parade.
When traffic began to move at 7 p.m., the four rows of cars funneled
down into a single line exiting out of the parking lot onto Primm
Road/Wyatt Avenue.
The Lincoln Police Department provided assistance controlling
traffic at the high school exit and on South Kickapoo.
The first entry was located on South Kickapoo across from the
Lincoln Theater. From there to Pekin Street, entries were spaced out
so that motorists had plenty of opportunity to see everything.
Several entries were handing out candy and the kids in the cars were
delighted by their haul at the end of the night.
Entries in order of appearance:
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Lincoln Rural Fire Protection District
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Heartland Community College
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“The Lincoln Trifecta” Guzzardo’s, Spirited
Republic and Top Hat Creamery
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Logan County Fair Queen and Royalty
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Zion Lutheran Church
-
Young Conservatives of Logan County
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Middletown Fire Department
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Sorrento’s Pizzeria
-
Tracy Welch for Mayor
-
Copper Creek Cottages
-
St. John United Church of Christ
-
Heritage in Flight Museum, Inc.
-
LaForge & Associates
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Community Action Partnership of Central Illinois
-
Timbercrest Veterinarian Services
Three anonymous judges were charged with choosing
winners in three categories – Tourism Choice, Best Float and Best
Representation of the theme.
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The Best Theme Representation for “Brighten up the Streets.” went to
Copper Creek Cottages. The Copper Creek float offered a typical
outdoor scene at Christmas time with lights on a home and plenty of
winter/holiday lighted decorations in the “lawn” of the display.
The Best Float winner was Zion Lutheran Church. The float was a
combination of living and animated characters in the Nativity with a
live Mary and Joseph. The float represented the heart of Christmas,
the birth of Christ in a meager setting.
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Sorrento’s Pizzeria won the category of Tourism Choice as the other
side of Christmas, the funny, yet inspirational “Grinch.” This float
told a side story to a certain degree. While we know that the Grinch
tried to steal Christmas, thinking that he would then make the tiny
town of Whoville as unhappy as he was; he was the one who changed
and found that Christmas isn’t about the material things, but about
the heart.
Putting it into 2020 perspective, Christmas is one thing that the
pandemic cannot “steal” from the community because it lives within
us and where there is a will there is a way. It seems very apparent
that the LCTB and the community proved that beyond a doubt on
Thursday night.
At the end of the cruise children and the kids at
heart were thrilled to get a chance to see Santa and Mrs. Clause.
Both of the Clauses’ were covid correct, wearing translucent
facemasks that made them look pretty close to normal. The couple
stood outside the LCTB Depot Visitor Center and greeted the vehicles
as they passed by. Every vehicle stopped for a few seconds but did
not outstay their welcome, keeping the traffic moving at the end of
the route at a relatively steady pace.
Children in the cars were given a sack of treats from Santa. While
there was not time for children to whisper wishes in Santa’s ear,
they were still quickly quizzed, “have you been good.” Santa enjoyed
getting close, and sharing his jolly attitude with everyone,
bringing smiles in every car.
It took a lot of work to put on this successful event. LCTB Director
Morgan Gleason and Assistant to the Director Cindy Smith did a great
job organizing the event. They had help from their board members as
well as family and friends.
Volunteers on Thursday evening included members of Gleason’s family,
board members Rick Hoefle and Kathie Williams along with members of
William’s family and a few other friends of tourism.
Lincoln Daily News will feature photos of all the entries in the
backward parade in today’s edition. Be sure to check them out!
[Nila Smith] |
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