Presque Isle’s Holiday Light Parade Adds New Attractions

Presque Isle’s 24th Annual Holiday Light Parade is coming up Saturday, December 7th and this year’s parade has several new features including an earlier start.

The Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce is now taking entries for what has become the Star City’s most popular parade.  The Chamber will be awarding trophies for floats in four categories: Business, Non-Profit, Faith Based and General as well as Parade Champion.

The light parade will start an hour earlier this year at 6:00 p.m.  Lineup will begin at 4:30 in the North Street Health Care parking lot. The parade will proceed south on Main Street to Clukey's Auto Supply for the lighting of the Tree of Hope and then continue to Gentile Hall at the University of Maine at Presque Isle.

Once again, Catholic Charities Maine will be collecting food donations along the route in their “Feed the County” float.  There will be hot beverages served at North Street Healthcare Center, the William Haskell Recreation Center and at UMPI’s Gentile Hall.

The Presque Isle Rec. Center on Main Street will kick off the festivities early with a community holiday event before the parade.  Starting at 3:00 p.m., you’re invited to stop in and see Santa, decorate cookies and learn more about the upcoming Community Center Project. You can also drop off food and toy donations at the Rec. Center between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. on the day of the parade.  Catholic Charities will collect the donations to benefit area families in need.

As well as decking out your float with a creative light display and decorations, you are encouraged to add holiday music as a finishing touch.

The Chamber will uphold tradition and have the only Santa Claus in the parade. Candy may be passed out by walkers but not tossed from the floats.   You don’t need to have all the details perfected before registering your float with the Chamber.  But please enter as soon as possible so that they can begin compiling the line-up for the parade.

Register TODAY by calling the Central Aroostook Area Chamber of Commerce at 764-6561 or e-mail Nikita at ncate@centralaroostookchamber.com