Santa Parade kicks off Christmas season

Howard County - Small-town celebrations are the best! After all the hoopla on Black Friday of hitting the big box stores, folks can come back home and enjoy local traditions . . . including the Santa Holiday Parade.

Before the parade, local businesses will also be having store specials so check them out! 

What will you do with the kids while you are shopping, you ask. Take them to the free movie “Elf on a Shelf” at the Cresco Theatre. It starts at 2 p.m., this year.

Hopefully the weather cooperates for the 39th annual event, which starts at 4 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 26, when Elm Street will be filled with kids and adults waiting to see story book, movie and Dr. Seuss characters. Some of the businesses and organizations participating are Northeast Iowa Motors, Hawkeye Sanitation, H&S Motors/A&W’s Rootie the Bear; Murphy, Coe & Smith, Driftrunners Snowmobile Club, Whitesell Trucking, Howard County Community Hospice of RHSHC, Cresco Bank & Trust and CUSB Bank.

Bringing up the rear of the parade will be Santa and Mrs. Claus, who will visit with the little ones after the parade.

The Courthouse lawn Christmas Lighting ceremony will then take place, and the second drawing of Jingle in Your Pocket will take place, when 10 winners will each get $100 in Chamber Bucks to help with holiday shopping! Two more drawings will be held with a total of $4,000 being given away, by CUSB Bank and Cresco Bank & Trust.

Don’t forget Small Business Saturday on Nov. 27, when area stores will have specials and more. Look for those participating in Jingle in Your Pocket and get double the tickets for your purchases on that day.