Let it Glow Parade

Appropriate to this year’s theme, Let it Glow, the Christmas parade in Willow Springs took place after dark. The twenty-minute spectacle was led by Grand Marshal Police Chief Bryan Hogan. 

The winners of the Mr. and Miss Merry Christmas contest followed. In the elementary school, Steel Shipp and Ellah Heembrock were the winners, and Miss Merry Christmas for the middle school was Charlotte Maggard.

Led by their color guard, the Bear Pride Band came next, wearing “ugly” Christmas sweaters and or other festive attire. Their musical selection was Jingle Bells. 

The procession of classic cars, floats, and flashing fire trucks rolled down Main St., and the On the Floor cloggers performed on their moving platform. 

Single horses and those drawing carts and wagons came next jingling sleigh bells until the final surprise of this year’s parade appeared. 

The Willow Springs Grinch was conspicuously absent from the festivities until the reason why became clear. The mischievous thief of Christmas joy was handcuffed in the back of a Willow Springs Police vehicle at the very tail end of the parade. 

Three prizes were awarded to floats this year by the Willow Springs Chamber of Commerce. 

First Place went to Hilltop Holiness. Second place was Willow Springs MFA, and Third place was Lakeland Pharmacy #7.