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thePeorian.com
The Present
“
We do have a lot of pride in
our presentation to the public.
Because of that we always try to
make sure the floats look good
and we will repair and replace
them as needed. We want to
make it better every year,” Stock-
man said.
She noted that in 1995 all
the floats were refurbished or
replaced because many were
starting to look worn. “We didn’t
want to be embarrassed by how
they looked,” she said.
Another source of pride is the
fact there never has been a time
the parade did not happen. Even
one year when a severe ice storm
socked the Peoria area and horses
were unable to be out on the
streets and most people had dif-
ficulty walking, the parade went
off as scheduled, Stockman said.
“
It was awful, awful weather.
But we went on. It was shorter
and a lot of attractions couldn’t
go but the parade happened,” she
said.
Another year, when the floats
were all stored at Expo Gardens,
they were vandalized and many
rendered incapable of being
used. “But the community came
together and worked to get those
floats fixed so they could be used
and the parade went on. So you
see, the whole community takes
pride in our parade. It’s a special
event,” Stockman said.
What one can expect to see in
the parade is a myriad of themed
floats, costumed characters from
among the Disney and cartoon fa-
vorites, several high school bands
and horse units. Altogether there
will be 88 units in this year’s
parade, culminating in the arrival
of the Clauses in a sleigh.
There also will be some new
floats, including one sponsored
by the Par-A-Dice that has the
film The Christmas Story as its
theme. “That one should be a lot
of fun, with the leg lamp and the
pink bunny pajamas and even
somebody stuck to a pole with
their tongue,” Stockman said.
A highlight of the parade are
the awards presented annually
for Best Commercial Float, won
last year by South Side Bank; Best
Non-Profit Float, won in 2011
by the Peoria Park District; Best
Novelty Entry won last year by
the Frakes family, and Best New
Entry, captured by Hair Cuttery.
There also are awards present-
ed to the various bands for music,
showmanship and marching.
This year the parade steps off
on Nov. 23, as usual the Friday
after Thanksgiving, at 10:15 a.m.
It will be televised again, as it has
been every year since 1958.
The same evening is when
another event occurs.
Yule Like Peoria, which is
growing in popularity each year,
begins at 6 p.m. in downtown
Peoria and goes until 9 p.m.
It starts with the annual Court-
house Tree Lighting ceremony at
6
p.m. in the Courthouse Plaza
and is followed by a stroll to
different downtown commercial
buildings to view their decora-
tions and various forms of enter-
tainment and refreshments.
There also is an ice carving
contest at Courthouse Plaza and
appearances by some costumed
characters. This year a new venue
will get involved when the new
Peoria Riverfront Museum, which
opens Oct. 20, opens and offers
entertainment.
There is no charge to attend
Yule Like Peoria.
Other holiday events
in Peoria include:
•
The Seventh Annual Holiday Walk
at Junction City from 4 to 9 p.m.
on Nov. 2. Festivities will include
pictures with Santa, carriage
rides, lives music and treats at the
center’s unique shops.
•
The Trans-Siberian Orchestra will
present “The Lost Christmas Eve”
in a concert at the Peoria Civic
Center on Thursday, Nov. 15.
•
Metro Centre will host its annual
Holiday Open House at its various
stores on Nov. 16 and 17.
•
Corn Stock Theatre kids’ theatre
will present “The Best Christmas
Pageant Ever” on Nov. 30 through
Dec. 2 and Dec. 7 and 8 at the
theatre’s Winter Playhouse.
•
Peoria Players Theatre will pres-
ent “A Christmas Carol The Musi-
cal” Dec. 7 through 9 and Dec. 12
through 16.
•
The Peoria Ballet will present its
annual showing of “The Nutcrack-
er” on Dec. 8 and 9 at the Peoria
Civic Center.
•
The Brian Setzer Orchestra
presents its “Christmas Rocks!
Extravaganza” at the Peoria Civic
Center on Dec. 11 at 7:30 p.m.
•
The Peoria Area Civic Chorale
will present “An American Fam-
ily Christmas” Dec. 14-16 at the
Caterpillar Performing Arts Center
at Five Points in Washington.
•
The 65th Annual Peoria Journal
Star Christmas Sing will be in the
grand foyer of the Peoria Civic
Center in late December.
