Organizers have canceled the Vinton Christmas Parade due to limits on gatherings due to the pandemic.
The parade was originally scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 3.
While the parade is a huge expense to the town, from paying security officials overtime, renting barricades and attaining digital signs, nearby businesses and restaurants will see fewer customers without it.
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“This was a very hard decision and was not decided easily,” said Angie Chewing, executive director of the Vinton Area Chamber of Commerce. “While we were hopeful we could host a parade in 2020, the Board came to the realization that it was necessary to cancel the event considering the Governor’s recent executive order limiting public gatherings and the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.”
While the parade has been canceled, the town is hosting several other events this holiday season:
- Town of Vinton Christmas Tree Lighting
- Live on Facebook at 6 p.m. on Dec. 3. Click here to watch.
- Santa Claus Crawl
- This is Vinton’s first annual Santa Claus Crawl, with Santa and his elves being escorted by the Vinton Police and Public Works Department through Vinton on Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 6:30 p.m. Santa will have a special treat for kids, so families are encouraged to stand by the curb near the edge of their property when they hear the sirens. Click here to see Santa’s route.
“Even the food trucks that we have around the area that we would have stationed in different places throughout the parade route. So it is a huge impact,” said Chewing.