The Lakeland Christmas Parade
A Storybook Christmas

The Christmas Parade is enjoyed by the whole community.  Please remember to keep sidewalks clear for individuals with wheelchairs, walkers and scooters.

The 2018 Lakeland Christmas Parade: A Night at the North Pole, sponsored by the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, takes place on Thursday, December 6^th, 2018 in Downtown Lakeland at 7 PM. 

The parade will leave the RP Funding Center and make its way down Lemon Street twisting and turning through Downtown Lakeland. Be sure to keep an eye out for our very special guests...Santa & Mrs. Claus!

A fireworks display over Lake Mirror at 7 PM will start the festivities.

More Info from JLGL

• Parade Map & Restroom Locations

  The Christmas Parade will kick off at the RP Funding center, winding its way through Downtown Lakeland, around Lake Mirror and down Lemon Street. 

  Click the map for a larger view of the parade route.  

  Restrooms

  The small squares on the map are the locations of portajons. 

  

• Parking & Street Closures

  Street Closures

  Incremental roads closures will begin as early as 3:30 PM on 12/6 due to enhanced safety measures. You should plan on all parade route-affiliated roads being closed by 6 PM. Officers will be staged at locations along the route to assist with traffic. Closures will be clearly marked and directional signage will be in place.

  Please allow extra time to arrive early or take alternate routes such as Bartow Highway and Harden Boulevard if you are simply trying to get from one side of town to the other.

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  Public Parking

  Public Parking is available in Downtown Lakeland on open, non-parade-route streets, in public lots and parking garages.

  Downtown Lakeland Parking Map (PDF)

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  ADA Parking

  Accessible parking will be available in the Rose St. parking lot for vehicles with a disabled parking permit. 

• Chairs Along Parade Route

  You may place chairs along the parade route no earlier than December 5th, 2018. 

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  Placement

  Please do not block sidewalks, entrances, or ADA ramps or place chairs in "Wheelchair Accessible" seating areas. Chairs placed in these areas will be moved out of the way. Please be respectful and do not place excessive amounts of chairs along the route.

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  Theft & Lost Chairs

  The City of Lakeland is not responsible for any lost, misplaced, or stolen chairs.

• ADA Accessibility

  The Christmas Parade is enjoyed by the whole community.  Please remember to keep sidewalks clear for individuals with wheelchairs, walkers and scooters.

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  Wheelchair Accessible Viewing Areas

  Two wheelchair accessible viewing areas will be located at the intersection of Rose Street and Main Street, next to the Fire Station off S Lake Avenue and across the street, in front of the Rose Street parking lot.

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  ADA Parking

  Accessible parking will be available in the Rose Street parking lot for vehicles with a disabled parking permit.

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  ADA Restrooms

  Two accessible porta-toilets will be available, one on each side of Main Street at the Rose Street/Main Street intersection.

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  Availability

  Just as with the rest of the parade route, the wheelchair accessible seating area and parking will be first-come, first-served.

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  See the Parade Map & Restroom Locations tab for more information.

• Food

  Food vendors will be stationed throughout Downtown Lakeland. Here are their locations:

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  Munn Park (SE corner)

  1. Becky’s Hot Dogs

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  Parking Lot M
  Corner Massachusetts Ave. & Cedar/Lake Mirror

  1. Heritage Baptist Church
  2. The Chick’s Coop
  3. Kona Ice of Lakeland

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  Future Dog Park
  Vacant lot just East of the old Lakeland Brewery building on Lake Mirror Drive

  1. AB Concessions
  2. Tony’s Italian Ice
  3. PJ’s BBQ

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  Small Pavers Area
  Corner of Lake Mirror Drive and Lake Avenue - west side, adjacent to the Lakeland Fire Department

  1. Nuts R Us
  2. Heritage Baptist Church

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  Lake Mirror Center Parking Lot
  Lake Avenue

  1. Fred’s Roadside Cafe
• Watch from Home

  Can't make it to the parade in person? Watch live online and on cable. You will find the parade broadcast:

  • LakelandGov TV
  • Facebook Live
  • Spectrum Channel 643
  • FiOS Channel 43
  • Comcast Channel 5 (PGTV)
• Snapchat & Facebook Geofilters

  

  This year, we will have special Lakeland Christmas Parade Snapchat and Facebook Geofilters for the parade!

  Snapchat

  Our Snapchat geofilter will go live around the parade route from 4 - 10 PM.

  Add the City of Lakeland on Snapchat

  Facebook

  To use the Facebook event filter, visit the official Lakeland Christmas Parade: A Storybook Christmas event page on your Facebook app and click "Use Camera Effect". 

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  Share Your Photos!

  Be sure to send us your photos in a private message on Facebook or at communications@lakelandgov.net and use the hashtag #LKLDchristmasparade during the event!

  Photo:  2017 Christmas Parade Filter

• Floats

  As is custom, the parade lineup (which is top secret!) is not revealed to the public.

  Please contact the Junior League of Greater Lakeland for more information.

• Duration

  The Lakeland Christmas Parade begins at 7 PM at the RP Funding Center and typically lasts 1.5 - 2 hours.  

• More Info/Questions

  Questions about the Christmas Parade?

  Email the Junior League of Greater Lakeland at christmasparade@jlgl.org or call 863.682.2112.

• Parade Applications - Due September 14th

  Lakeland Christmas Parade applications are due on September 14th, 2018.
  Download your application packet at jlgl.org/lakeland-christmas-parade.

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  The theme this year is “A Storybook Christmas” and it is our sincere hope that you will join us in inspiring the imaginations of children and promoting the joy of reading by decorating your float in the theme of your favorite children’s story. In true holiday spirit, we ask that you enhance your story with festive cheer. For example, if your book is Winnie the Pooh oriented, we would hope to see Pooh Bear with a Santa hat and your float still adorned with twinkling lights, a wreath, or some other form of holiday cheer.

  Please review the information available on the site above carefully as all floats are accepted for participation based on the compliance with the provided rules, completion of the application in full, and on the basis of the unit’s quality and contribution to the parade. Awards will be presented to outstanding participants at the Lakeland City Commission meeting in December.

Kevin Cook & Julie Adams, 2017 Lakeland Christmas Parade