The Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce, in collaboration with the Village of Wellington, will bring the 29th annual Wellington Holiday Parade to thousands of spectators of the western communities on Sunday, Dec. 9.
The parade will begin at 1 p.m., and this year’s theme “Holiday in Paradise” will feature floats, marching bands, dance troupes, costumed characters, live music and more. Wellington residents and prominent Olympian equestrians Margie Engle and Todd Minikus will serve as the parade’s grand marshals. “We thought it fitting in this Olympic year to feature some of our own equestrian Olympians who reside in Palm Beach County,” said the chamber’s Mary Lou Bedford. “The equestrian season is upon us, so this is the perfect timing for our parade. We are thrilled that we can feature both Margie and Todd as our grand marshals.”
This year’s theme, “Holiday in Paradise,” will bring out some really fun and creative floats with a tropical-influenced décor. The parade route begins at Wellington Trace and continues down Forest Hill Blvd., ending at Town Center and the Wellington Amphitheater. In an effort to provide a safe procession for the parade, Forest Hill Blvd. will be closed from the north intersection at Wellington Trace to South Shore Blvd. beginning at 12:30 p.m.
For the first time this year, the day’s events will end with the official tree lighting at the Wellington Amphitheater in the Holiday Fun Park. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors Waste Management and the Wellington Preservation Coalition, the Holiday Fun Park will include many more family-oriented activities such as a carousel, a skating rink, a kids train ride, bounce houses, food and exhibit booths and a live concert immediately following the parade with a Billy Joel tribute band. The tree lighting is scheduled for 6:15 p.m. There will be plenty of food, fun and entertainment for the whole family all day long.
Holiday Park hours are from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Wellington Amphitheater. Before the parade, lace up your running shoes for the Holiday Mile Run/Walk beginning at 12:45 p.m. at Forest Hill Blvd. and Country Club Drive. Pre-registration costs $15 for adults and $10 for children age 12 and under. The race application is available at www.cpbchamber.com. For more information, call (561) 790-6200.
The day of festivities would not be possible without the cooperation of Wellington, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue and the generosity of presenting sponsors the Schumacher Family of Dealerships and the Wellington Preservation Coalition.
