Time to enter DeLand Jaycees 61st annual Christmas Parade

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
DeLand Little League — DeLand Little League was in full-swing on it's 2008 Christmas float. The float was one of more than 140 entries last year.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Parade 'Cheer' — Volusia Elite All-Stars cheerleading squad spreads their holiday "cheers" during the 2008 DeLand Jaycees Christmas Parade.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN

Nominations wanted for parade marshal

By Jennifer Horton
BEACON STAFF WRITER

posted Nov 19, 2009 - 10:34:29am

Today, Friday, Nov. 20, is the final day to register to be part of the DeLand Jaycees Christmas Parade Dec. 5. The annual event draws tens of thousands of viewers to Woodland Boulevard in Downtown DeLand, and features lighted floats, bands and marching units.

Although entries are often accepted past the official deadline, filing an application today assures groups a place in the official lineup. Click on The Beacon's home page for a link to download an application.

People will line Woodland Boulevard well in advance of 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, kickoff time for the 61st annual DeLand Jaycees Christmas Parade.

The event marks the beginning of the Christmas season in West Volusia, and it draws viewers from all over Volusia County.

Mark Thompson, parade co-chairman, called the parade "a sleeping giant."

"Most people do not realize the vastness of the event," Thompson said. "You're talking about one-and-a-half to two hours. People come from all over to see this. ... It's a phenomenal event."

This year's theme is Holiday Wonderland, and parade watchers should have a great show. Last years' parade saw more than 140 entries, and drew an estimated crowd of 30,000.

The parade, for Thompson, is something deep and soulful.

"I've been all over the world," he said. "DeLand is home. Coming home for Christmas is the best thing in the world. The parade is that to me, it starts my return to the Christmas season."

Co-chairman Matt Pieper said the Jaycees focus on the warmth and homeyness of the season, especially on enjoyment for the littlest viewers.

"We really enjoy doing these things for the children," he said. "That's what it's really all about, the children."

Thompson and Pieper, along with other parade-committee members and DeLand Jaycees President David Fisher, are working to make the parade better than ever, especially at the very end.

"This year we're going to address disbanding. It's been an issue," Thompson said.

A bit of a traffic jam often develops at the end of the parade route at Melching Field at Conrad Park. Thompson said that sometimes causes the parade to stop or hesitate in its flow.

This year, the committee wants viewers to experience a nonstop array of bands, performers and — of course — floats.

"They'll be no stopping on the parade route this year," he said.

The whole shebang will be led by a parade marshal. Nobody knows who the marshal will be until the early hours of the morning of parade day.

"It's been a tradition that around 'dark-thirty,' the parade marshal is picked up and taken to breakfast," Thompson said.

Nominations for parade marshal are still being sought, Thompson said, as are parade entries. To nominate a parade marshal, write a letter of recommendation about a person who has made a difference in the community through outstanding service or volunteer work. Send letters to Abie Levesque, 1140 15th Street, Orange City, FL 32763.

The parade will travel south on Woodland Boulevard from Minnesota Avenue to Euclid Avenue. The lineup will begin at 3:30 p.m.

Forms for entering the parade are available on The Beacon's home page, and also at the West Volusia Tourism Advisory Authority Visitors Center at 116 W. New York Ave., Bill and Frank's Brickhouse Grill at 142 N. Woodland Blvd., and the Elusive Grape at 133 N. Woodland Blvd. The deadline for entry forms is Friday, Nov. 20.

"We will take stragglers," Thompson said. "But it behooves people to enter early."

For more information about floats or entries, call Warren Kerswill at 386-848-6041 or e-mail Dean Yeager at deanyeager@bellsouth.net

— jen@beacononlinenews.com

Reader Comments

The comments posted below are posted by readers, not by The Beacon staff. These comments express the views and opinions of the authors, and not the administrators, moderators or webmaster. The comments forum is governed by these rules. Please use the report abuse link if you find offensive comments.

Comment on this article

Commenting is closed for this article.

If you would like to contribute a letter to the editor, please click here.

Did you find this story interesting or informative? Subscribe to The DeLand-Deltona Beacon to read more stories by Jennifer Horton, along with others from our award-winning writers. Subscribe now!