We have announced the theme for this year’s downtown Jamestown holiday parade. The Gift Exchange Christmas Parade and Holiday Celebration, presented by The Resource Center, will feature pre-parade musical entertainment, a traditional tree lighting ceremony with Mayor Sam Teresi, and a fireworks display above the Spring Street parking ramp. Applications to participate in the parade are now being accepted and are available for download online.
(From Left) Greg Lindquist, Executive Director for the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, Terri Johnson, TRC Director of Rehabilitation, Employment and Community Services, and Heather Brown, TRC Assistant Executive Director.
The Gift Exchange Christmas Parade and Holiday Celebration will be held on Friday, December 2, beginning at 6:30 pm. The parade itself will begin on the Third Street Bridge and continue down Third Street toward City Hall. Parade line up will begin at 5:00 pm on West Third Street between Hallock Street and Porter Avenue (Farm Fresh Plaza).
“We chose the Gift Exchange theme this year for two reasons. The first reason is because we wanted to turn the event into a parade of oversized presents marching down Third Street,” said Edwin Rodriguez Jr., events and marketing associate for the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation. “The second reason is to encourage charitable community giving this holiday season,” said Rodriguez. Participants in the parade are encouraged to decorate vehicles and floats as oversized holiday gifts using bows, wrapping paper, lights, and more.
The downtown Jamestown holiday parade has been a long standing tradition in the city for decades. Dozens of area businesses, social organizations, and nonprofits come downtown the evening of the parade to celebrate the holidays, attend one of many area holiday events, and support local business. One area nonprofit in particular, The Resource Center, has gone above and beyond the call of duty each year to support the parade as a presenting sponsor and serve the greater Jamestown community.
“The Resource Center is pleased to again be supporting the Jamestown Holiday Parade,” said Heather C. Brown, assistant executive director. “We have developed a great partnership with the city and the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation, and we enjoy being a part of this wonderful tradition in downtown Jamestown.” Brown, who also helps lead The Resource Center’s U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots drive each year, added, “Toys for Tots is an amazing complement to the mission of The Resource Center and is yet another way that TRC is able to give back to our community and so many families in need each year.”
To go along with this year’s gift giving parade theme, area businesses are encouraged to participate in the Toys for Tots program by becoming a toy drop off location. Area residents can also participate by donating new, unwrapped toys for the program to use. Anyone interested in supporting the Toys for Tots program can call 716-661-1400 for more information or CLICK HERE.
“The U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots program will be collecting toys across the county from November 21 to December 16 this year. We hope that our area businesses and residents will embrace the program and the theme of this year’s parade by donating to families in need of some holiday cheer this holiday season,” said Rodriguez.
To download the application for your business, social organization, or nonprofit to enter the parade, CLICK HERE.