Leader Staff
It will still be a bit chillier than originally hoped when Santa Claus finally comes to town Friday for the rescheduled downtown parade in his honor, but conditions should be better than last week when frigid temperatures forced the parade to be postponed.
Whatever the weather, there won’t be another postponement tonight, said Marissa Rycroft, coordinator of the downtown Business Improvement District.
“We’re not cancelling again,” she said.
Rycroft said she has been contacted by two participants who had planned to be in the parade, but have dropped out. All of the other participants were still on board.
Downtown businesses are also with the program. They will be open and some of them will be offering refreshments, Rycroft said.
The after-parade wagon rides that were also postponed last week will be part of tonight’s festivities.
Last week, a number of participants contacted Rycroft informing her they were bowing out due to the single digit temperatures and subzero-wind chill being forecast.
The annual Holiday Stroll’s indoor activities went ahead as scheduled, but the outdoor events were cancelled for the first time in the stroll’s 19-year history.
Last Friday’s high temperature only got up as far as 12 degrees, with a low of 1 degree. While today’s forecast high of 16 degrees is only a tad better, the temperatures are not expected to dip below 12. The parade starts at 6 p.m.