Abby Christmas parade is ready to roll for more magic
A rainbow of lights has been hung over downtown. Characters from storybooks and classic movies are coming to life. Floats that have sat inside a shed for almost a year, will soon emerge again. Santa Claus has booked his annual sleigh ride to central Wisconsin.
These are all signs that the annual Abbotsford Christmas Parade is on its way. The 53rd annual event will take place Saturday, Dec. 7, starting at 7:30 p.m., in downtown Abbotsford.
What makes this parade different from every other community parade, is its homegrown origins. A city of under 2,500 people, comes together every year, to put on a spectacle that has drawn visitors from hundreds of miles away, for more than a half-century.
“This isn’t your typical parade, with tractor-trailers and business floats,” said parade organizer Kris O’Leary. “We have people calling to have a float in the parade, and we must explain that the parade owns the floats and costumes, and we don’t allow other floats in the parade.”
There are no business names on the floats. Community members volunteer to build and maintain, all the costumes and floats. These floats cost thousands of dollars each to make and are built to last years.
Every year, hundreds of hours of donated labor and time, go into making each float and costume.
This year, the old Cinderella’s pumpkin, from some of the earliest parades, was brought out of storage to be turned into something new. Unfortunately, the running gear, at over 100 years old, was way past its prime. However, the pumpkin was able to be salvaged and expanded to become Shrek’s onion carriage.
The Doberstein family contacted O’Leary about an old stagecoach in grandpa’s barn. The coach was purchased, cleaned, painted and electrified, to show off the Toy Story characters.
One young girl, who has helped with the parade for years, has asked for I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas float to go with the song from 1953. She planned out a design with her mom and grandma, and with the help of her family, helped build this new float.
The 3:16 Church will provide bathrooms, and homemade cookies and hot chocolate during the parade. Other local businesses will be open for parade-goers to stop and eat, or shop before or after the parade.
The parade route begins in front of the TP Printing parking lot and goes east on West Spruce, before turning north onto North Second Street. It then heads west on Birch Street and south on North First Street, before heading back to the TP parking lot.
The parade is supported by room tax money from Abby Inn, Rodeway Inn and the Home Motel, along with area businesses that donate prizes for the annual raffle.
“If it has been years since you have been to the Abbotsford Christmas Parade or have never seen the parade, make time this year, to get your holiday spirit in full gear,” said O’Leary.
