Christmas parade lineup announced

Wednesday, November 26, 2008 12:23 PM CST

A holiday tradition will return to Watertown on Saturday when the Main Street Program's Christmas Parade of Lights kicks off at 5:30 p.m.

Festivities are set to begin at the intersection of Main and Water streets. Units will travel east on Main Street to College Avenue where the parade will conclude.

The first 20 units are asked to line up on North Water Street facing Main Street and the remaining units should gather on South Water Street and face Main Street.

Riley Kappell, 7, and Cassie Schwefel, 7, both of Watertown, will serve as Jack and Jill Frost, the honorary parade marshals for the event.

Watertown police Sgt. Curtis Kleppin said police department personnel will be visible throughout the parade route and available to assist those who may need help.

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“Safety is always our concern, therefore we are asking that all observers of the parade be aware of their surroundings and refrain from venturing out onto the roadway,” Kleppin said. “Traditionally, all the streetlights on Main Street are turned off for this parade. Because of the reduced visibility it may be hard for the operators of large vehicles to see people venturing onto the roadway, especially children.

“We are also asking that members of the parade who choose to give candy away refrain from throwing it from their vehicles or floats into the roadway,” he added. “It would be safer if a member could hand deliver the candy while walking alongside the parade route.”

Complimentary cookies, hot chocolate and cider will be offered at several Main Street locations throughout the duration of the parade.

The parade is sponsored by the Watertown Main Street Program but is funded entirely through donations from local businesses and organizations.

Donations are still being sought, solicited and taken up until the time of the parade, said Mark Heiden, parade co-chairman.

Those who would like to make a donation or have further questions may contact Heiden at 261-4102 or parade co-chairman Bob Lueck at 261-7218.

The parade lineup is as follows:

1. Police escort

2. Bartelme-Schwefel Detachment, Marine Corps League Color Guard

3. Wisconsin Army National Guard

4. Jefferson County 40 et 8 locomotive

5. Watertown Fire Department

6. Jefferson County Head Start bus

7. Parade lighting, Aaron Zimmerman

8. M & M costumes

9. Jack and Jill Frost winners float, Emergency, Starting and Towing

10. Snow Court float, Emergency Starting and Towing

11. Elf costumed characters

12. Santa Land float, Emergency, Starting and Towing and Jerry Hepp Excavating

13. Parade Lighting float, parade committee and Emergency, Starting and Towing

14. Jolly Giants, Century 21 Endeavor

15. Wacky Wheeler

16. Tony Rocker Elvis tribute

17. D.A.R.E. van

18. Citizens Police Academy

19. St. Paul's Episcopal Church float

20. Watertown High School Band

21. Clifford the Big Red Dog float, Watertown Public Library

22. Mr. Piggly Wiggly

23. Marching unit, Watertown Girl Scouts sponsored by ZBM Inc.

24. All Aboard for Santa, Koplin Excavating

25. Berres Bros. Coffee Roasters decorated van

26. Berres Bros. Coffee Roasters walkers with samples

27. Counseling Center of Watertown float

28. Super 8 Motel

29. Good Shepherd Lutheran Church float

30. Mountain Dew truck, Pepsi Cola

31. Watertown Blue Revue

32. Snowmen costumed characters

33. Hoofbeats Express horse and carriage

34. Christmas Through the Ages float, Marquardt Village

35. Christmas tree train float, Mark Seibel

36. Happy Feet float, Sandra D's Bridal Boutique, Preferred Real Estate and Wick Homes of Jefferson

37. Decorated Murray tractor, Roger Bergmann

38. Premier Martial Arts float

39. Premier Martial Arts walkers

40. Christmas tree, reindeer and gingerbread man costumed characters

41. Angel's Message float, St. John's, St. Luke's, St. Mark's and Trinity Lutheran churches

42. Teenage Republicans, Toys for Tots

43. State Rep. Joel Kleefisch

44. YMCA Pom and Dance Team

45. Lake Country Brick Layers float

46. Train float, ATAM Heating and Cooling LLC of Waterloo and holiday trains at The Market

47. Eske's Yankee Dutchman Band, ISB Community Bank

48. Prairie Land Farms float

49. Pesicek Auto Body float

50. Truck with golf carts, Pesicek Auto Body

51. The Who's from Hairville float, A Hair Off Main

52. Golf carts, A & D Discount Auto Mart

53. A & D Discount Auto Mart float

54. RE/MAX Realty hot air balloon

55. Watertown Outboarders float

56. Watertown Outboarders decorated boat

57. Buckaroos 4-H float

58. Buckaroos 4-H horses

59. Horse drawn wagons, Horsen Around Acres

60. Fourth of July Parade Committee float

61. Santa and Mrs. Claus in carriages by Hoofbeats Express