Grand Rapids celebrates holidays with Santa Parade, tree lighting

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Santa Claus came to town Saturday as Grand Rapids celebrated the holidays with its annual parade and tree lighting.

The 103rd Grand Rapids Santa Parade, sponsored by Gentex, and tree lighting aired on WOOD TV8, hosted by News 8 Daybreak anchors Teresa Weakley and George Smith. The program also featured Storm Team 8 meteorologist Blake Harms and Maranda.

The parade stepped off at 5 p.m. at the corner of Michigan Street NW and Division Avenue N. As crowds lined the streets, a multitude of festive floats and displays — including a WOOD TV8 float and a Salvation Army float — made their way through downtown Grand Rapids.

“I am very excited. I am here with all my grandkids and we’re very excited. We’ve waited a long time for this,” one attendee said.

“Just to see all the smiling faces, this is what makes it all worthwhile,” a United States Postal Service letter carrier, who was taking part in the parade, said.

There were plenty of characters in attendance, like Elsa and Olaf from Disney’s “Frozen.”

A group of children told Blake Harms that they loved seeing the Grinch — who was locked up — and characters from Marvel’s “Avengers.”

The parade also featured corgis donning holiday costumes. The Hughes family, who brought their dog Leopold, told Maranda that Leopold got “all the pets.”

“I just love seeing the brightness of every kid’s face,” one family member said. “Legitimately, every single child that saw Leopold wanted to pet him.”

And, of course, Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus were in attendance. The parade ultimately brought them to Rosa Parks Circle, where crowds of people awaited the tree lighting ceremony.

“I get to eat like a billion cookies on Christmas Eve and some hot chocolate, maybe some milk, stuff like that,” Santa told Maranda ahead of the ceremony. “So you know, gotta make sure I’m a little slim to start with or I won’t fit down that last chimney.”

At about 6:45 p.m., the crowd counted down, and Santa and Maranda flipped the switch. Onlookers cheered and then took in the dazzling display, a rendition of “Joy to the World” and the sounds of jingle bells filling the air.

Grand Rapids’ Santa Parade dates back to 1919, making it even older than the America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit, which started in 1924. This is the first time it was held at night and the first time it coincided with the city’s tree lighting.

Grand Rapids Police Department Lt. Patrick Dean has been involved with the parade for decades and capped his career as its grand marshal before he retires Sunday. He said being honored as grand marshal was “an early Christmas present.”

“It’s really special for me to be chosen. It’s such an honor,” Dean told News 8. “I’ve been involved with the planning of this parade, I’ve worked this parade for over 20 years. And to be honored like this, to me, is really a gift that, for me, is something I’ll never forget.”

Organizers set up plenty of activities for the family, including a station where kids could write letters to Santa. Evette Pittman, special events manager for the city of Grand Rapids, said the Amway Grand Plaza and JW Marriott hotels’ spas would be offering free hand massages.

“There is so much fun and it’s all free,” Pittman said.

The Rosa Parks Circle ice rink was also open, with plenty of people taking advantage of it.

When all was said and done, spectators said it was a magical night.

“It reminds me of a Hallmark movie,” one attendee said.