Christmas is still months away, but Foley is already making plans for the holiday season, including an upgrade to a longtime Christmas Parade tradition.
The Foley City Council approved the purchase of nine new reindeer to pull Santa’s sleigh during the city’s annual Christmas Parade in December.
The parade, organized by the Foley Kiwanis Club, rolls through downtown Foley each year as part of the start of the holiday season. Santa Claus makes his appearance aboard a sleigh pulled by nine reindeer representing the traditional eight named in “The Night Before Christmas,” along with Rudolph.
The current reindeer have been part of the parade for 45 years and are now in need of replacement. The Kiwanis Club hopes the original reindeer can be donated to a local museum or similar organization after their retirement so this piece of Foley’s Christmas history can be preserved and displayed.
The Foley Revitalization and Beautification Advisory Board recommended that the city purchase new reindeer for the float.
Brenda Shambo, city liaison to the board, said the Christmas Parade has been part of Foley’s holiday traditions for generations.
“The Foley Christmas Parade is the city’s only Christmas parade and is a cherished tradition that brings families, businesses, schools and community organizations together,” Shambo told council members. “The Kiwanis reindeer have become a familiar and beloved part of that tradition. New reindeer would allow us to continue creating these special memories for children and families for many years to come.”
The parade is one of several holiday events held in Foley. Other events traditionally scheduled for the same weekend include Christmas in the Park, the lighting of the Foley Christmas Tree and the city’s Let It Snow event.
The city also holds a Christmas tree decorating contest, with winners announced before the lighting of the city tree on the Friday evening before the Saturday parade.