One of Crown Point’s most beloved – and flashy – traditions returned on Saturday morning, as the city put a capstone on their opening weekend of Holiday activities with their annual Santa Parade.
As always, Santa arrived in style, touching down at the Pointe Plaza in a Lake County Sheriff’s Department helicopter. There, he and Mrs. Claus greeted the hundreds of gathered kids and their families before setting off to the Old Courthouse with a parade of fire trucks and other first responders.
“Crown Point’s history has always been about bringing community together, so we’re excited to continue that tradition today,” said Diana Bosse, Special Events Administrator for the City of Crown Point. “We’re always excited to bring Santa in to have families enjoy meeting him”
The Santa Parade has been drawing in families for decades, and Crown Point’s first responders were excited to be a part of the tradition.
“I’ve seen videos and stuff dating back to the 60s and 70s showing that they’ve been doing this parade for the city” said Lieutenant Matt Kodicek of the Crown Point Fire Department. “It’s that time of year where we’re excited to bring joy to the city, especially now that we get to drive around the city and bring Santa past everyone’s house.”
Up until 2020, the parade stretched from Pointe Plaza to the Courthouse, where Santa would spend the day taking photos with kids and their families. Last year, COVID-19 required families to stay in their cars and meet with Santa over Zoom, but they added a multi-hour parade route that ran through nearly the entire city. This year, the meetings with Santa return and they kept the extended route thanks to a hugely positive response last year.
“The community really responded to that,” Bosse said. “We’re going to try and continue offering that for our families from now on.”
The parade always draws a big crowd. For some attendees, it is an annual tradition, going back even to their childhood. For others, year marked their first time seeing Santa fly in.
“I think it’s fantastic that the city puts this together,” said Candi Clark, a first-time attendee who stopped by with her husband, and their three children. “It really gets the community involved and the kids are excited to see Santa. It’s a nice start to the holiday season.”
Santa will be available in the Old Courthouse for photos and meet-and-greets every Saturday and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m. until Christmas. The city’s annual Tour of Lights also kicks off next month, with remaining spots highly limited. To learn more, visit www.crownpoint.in.gov.
