The parade will start near the MidPointe Library Middletown on South Broad Street and end on Manchester Avenue near the former Manchester Inn. Moorman hopes those who watch the parade will attend Holiday Whopla.
Middletown native Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist and two-time Professional Fighters League champion, will serve as parade grand marshal.
“This is awesome,” Moorman said. “Kayla is a great representative for the city.”
At the opening of Holiday Whopla, Santa will light the Christmas tree and local dance groups and Madison High School’s choir will perform.
“It’s awesome that we’re combining with another event to make it bigger, better,” Moorman said. “It’s good to work with others in the city.”
Avinne Kiser, organizer of Holiday Whopla, a 50-day holiday celebration with ice skating, light displays, entertainment, food and beverages, said Middletown has the opportunity to become “a Christmas city, a Christmas town.”
Besides the parade and Holiday Whopla, there’s Light Up Middletown, a holiday drive-through lights display at Smith Park that runs Nov. 25-Dec. 31, and Scrooge is playing Dec. 16-Dec. 19 at the Sorg Opera House, she said.
Kiser said the goal of Holiday Whopla is to create “a continuous stream of customers” to the downtown bars, restaurants and retail shops.
Santa will ride in the parade on a Middletown fire truck and there will be floats, costumed characters and representatives from area businesses and civic organizations, said Moorman.
Moorman, who owns Beauverre Riordan Studios, 1054 Central Ave., said she contacted every local school in hopes they will participate in the parade that typically attracts 1,000 to 2,000, depending on the weather.
This year’s Holiday Whopla will run every Friday and Saturday starting Nov. 26 though Dec. 18, then be open the week of Christmas from Dec. 19-Dec. 23.
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