WATERTOWN, NY — On Thursday, November 29, 2018 at 6:15 p.m., Downtown Watertown will be full of holiday cheer and bustling with activity as Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr. and members of the Watertown City Council host the annual Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting Ceremony on Public Square.
This year’s theme for the entire weekend will be “Christmas Around the World.” Parade participants are highly encouraged to create their floats using multicultural and international flair, highlighting a different nation or nations.
The holiday festivities will begin at 6:15 p.m. on the north side of Public Square
with a musical performance by the Northern Blend Chorus. A musical performance by Stage Notes will follow at 6:35 p.m.
At 7:00 p.m., the annual Christmas Parade, featuring a special guest from the
North Pole, will travel through Public Square. The parade route will begin on Court
Street, traverse the north side of Public Square, and exit the Square via Mill Street and Black River Parkway.
Following the parade at approximately 7:45 p.m., Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr.
and members of the City Council will officially kick off the holiday season with a
countdown to turn on the City’s holiday music and light display.
After the parade and tree lighting, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be greeting children
in the Public Square Gazebo until 8:45 p.m. Mulled cider and hot cocoa will be served free of charge during the event courtesy of the Downtown Business Association (DBA).
The music and light display features thousands of LED lights that are
synchronized to a variety of holiday songs. The music and light display will run every 30 minutes each night from 4:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. from November 29, 2018 through January 4, 2019.
Beginning at 3:30 p.m. on the day of the event, all travel lanes on the north side
of Public Square will be closed to traffic and on-street parking will be restricted. In
addition, Court Street will be closed to traffic for the parade beginning at approximately 5:15 p.m. Portions of Mill Street and Black River Parkway will be closed from 6:45 p.m. until the end of the parade.
Temporary barricades, traffic cones and signage will be placed, and a detour
route will be established for the event. Parking will be available at one of the many City parking lots in the downtown area and at the Jefferson County Human Services Building North and South Parking Lots after 5:00 p.m.