Even with a frosty chill in the air, thousands of families and friends filled downtown Main Street Saturday night for the 23rd annual St. Charles Electric Christmas Parade.
Dozens of illuminated floats brightened the night sky along the just under a mile parade route from Sixth Street to Fourth Avenue with cheers from spectators for each passing unit.
Planning for the event starts earlier in the year, St. Charles Business Alliance Events Manager Susan Stark said.
“The parade for many is a way to kick off the holidays,” Stark said.
Cassie Graff, of Aurora, had a front row look at the parade across from the 1940s era St. Charles Municipal Building in the downtown.
“We were so impressed with the parade five years ago that we now come with our children,” Graff said.
The mother had her 1-year-old twin sons, Parker and Cooper, seated in a warm two-seater stroller, while her husband Patrick had daughter, McKenna, 2, in tow.
“Seeing the awe in their faces from all the lights is gratifying,” Cassie Graff said.
The parade featured about 75 entries, organizers said. This year’s parade grand marshal was WGN-TV sports anchor and former pro football player Jarrett Payton and his family. Payton, the son of the late Chicago Bears legend Walter Payton, lives in St. Charles.
Beyond the parade itself, the event is a way to showcase local businesses in the downtown, Stark said.
“That’s part of our mission, to stimulate the St. Charles economy,” Stark said. “We have a lot of great parade entries and Santa closes the parade.”
St. Charles Business Alliance board member Steve Martin said the parade originally began in 1980 as a Saturday morning Christmas parade and at one point became a Sunday afternoon parade.
“The parade featured a few horses, marchers and trucks pulling trailers. It wasn’t a big parade at all,” Martin said.
On Nov. 24, 2001, it officially became the St. Charles Electric Christmas Parade and always held at dusk on a Saturday.
Overall, it’s been a tremendous event in bringing thousands of people to downtown St. Charles, Martin said.
These days Martin, a retired community banker at First State Bank, is the parade’s chief marshal overseeing a group of volunteers that help guide the floats along the parade route.
In all, roughly 80 volunteers work to keep the parade organized and carry banners for the floats.
“St. Charles was one of the first cities to hold an Electric Christmas Parade, I believe. The entries have grown slightly beyond capacity,” he said.
The parade typically draws an estimated 20,000 people along the parade route, officials said.
St. Charles native Bob Randazzo had his 6-year-old daughter, Olivia, perched on his shoulders at Main Street and Riverside Avenue so she could get a good view of the parade on Saturday.
He was 10 years old when the Electric Christmas Parade began.
“We have been coming for the past couple of years to see Santa in the parade. It’s a good family moment,” Randazzo said.
His wife stayed home with the couple’s 6-week-old baby, he said.
Bethany Sliwa, of St. Charles, has been coming to the parade with family and friends for the past 10 years.
“We claim a spot on the Main Street Bridge the night before,” she said.
Along with warm cocoa and holiday treats, Sliwa had chairs set up with holiday hats and blankets for her group of about 12 children and adults.
The parade has become a holiday tradition, she said.
“Our family appreciates the Christmas season,” Sliwa said. “We love the lights and people are so friendly. This is our kickoff for the holiday fun.”
Linda Girardi is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
