Waukesha Christmas Parade returns to the city

MADISON, Wis. (WMTV) - The streets of downtown Waukesha lit up Sunday for the annual Waukesha Christmas Parade, a chance onlookers and participants say is a chance to retake the event.

“We’re going to be laughing and crying at the same time and remembering, but we’re determined to be a part of taking back this street,” said President and co-founder of the Milwaukee Dancing Grannies, Jan Kwiatkowski. “We are excited; we are ready to go; we are determined.”

The dancing grannies walked with pictures of the loved ones lost in last year’s tragic parade. A float dedicated to the victims led the procession down a new route as spectators crowded the roadways.

Organizers say the event received an upped police presence and newly purchased roadblocks for the festivities. Organizer and Chamber of Commerce president Rob Hoverman says people from the area were insistent on bringing the parade back.

“As soon as it happened, I can’t tell you how many people reached out and said, ‘You have to do this again next year, don’t let this stop you, do it again,’ and we’ve heard that throughout the past year, almost weekly,” said Hoverman.

Hoverman says the application list to participate in the parade filled so quickly it was closed early, and 50% of the applications had to be turned down. He says people were anxious to take the event back.

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