Parade of Lights organizers welcome float entries for Medina event on Nov. 26

Photo by Tom Rivers: The Orleans County 4-H Heelers Dog Club put together a big float for the Parade of Lights last year on Nov. 27. Plans are underway for the 14th annual Parade of Lights Nov. 26 in Medina and sponsors are offering incentives for those who enter a float by Halloween.

By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 5 October 2022 at 8:55 am

MEDINA – Autumn is in the air and Christmas won’t be far behind.

The Medina Tourism Committee and Medina Area Partnership are already making plans for Medina’s Christmas celebration and spectacular Parade of Lights, which this year has added attractions and incentives.

Medina annually welcomes Christmas the Saturday after Thanksgiving, which this year is Nov. 26.

The event traditionally features a 5K run in the morning, the downtown stores decorated and offering specials, the Cutest Elf Contest and the parade at noon welcoming Santa Claus.

Jim Hancock, chair of the Medina Tourism Committee which sponsors the Parade of Lights, said the winner of the Littlest Elf Contest will ride in the parade with Santa. The Medina Mustang Marching Band will also march in the parade.

More entertainment is planned on Main Street this year, with vendors on Main Street and the Canal Village Farmers’ market in the NAPA building on North Main Street. The parade also includes Pets on Parade, and people can enter everything from dogs and cats to llamas, Hancock said.

Robin Watts is designing a new character for the noon parade, to accompany Frosty and Olaf. They are always crowd pleasers, Hancock said.

At 5 p.m., the band Prime Time Brass will present a 30-minute concert in Rotary Park, followed by lighting of the giant Christmas tree by the parade marshal, who is yet to be announced.

Fireworks will light up the sky at 5:45 p.m., presented by Young Explosives.

The Parade of Lights steps out at 6 p.m. from Baxter’s parking lot on Park Avenue and continues down Main Street to Hartway Motors.

A new feature this year is a $50 prize to the first 10 entries in the parade. The deadline for entering floats is Nov. 23.

“The Parade of Lights and Christmas Celebration are one of the greatest events we have in our village,” Hancock said. “People come from all over, even Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio and Canada to our parade.”

He encourages businesses, individuals, and organizations to take part by designing a float in the parade, in hopes of making this the biggest and best yet.

For more information, including a parade entry form, click here.