ELLY GRIMM
• Leader & Times
The Thanksgiving turkey has been put away, which means it is time to officially start thinking about Christmas events, particularly Liberal’s Downtown Christmas Parade.
The 2024 Downtown Christmas Parade will be at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7, with everything going through downtown, and the theme for this year is 'Candyland Christmas.' This year's parade route will be going from south to north – like the 4th of July parade, everything will line up and start at Trail Street (by the railroad tracks), go north and then turn off at 6th Street. Coordinator Earl Watt said he is excited about this year’s parade theme.
“I'd looked at a lot of different themes, and there are a lot of ideas we've used throughout the years, so at the beginning, it was a bit tough,” Watt said. “When I think of Christmas, I think about the North Pole and Santa Claus and all of that mystique, but something else a lot of people associate with Christmas is those oversized candy canes and gingerbread houses with the gumdrops and everything else. Christmas and candy really go hand in hand – when I was growing up, my grandmother had that special tin of hard candy that only came out at Christmastime. There's that sweet side of Christmas, and it's very rare to come across someone whose family doesn't have some kind of tradition of making certain sweets or baked goods or other treats for people. Christmas and candy just go hand in hand, so when I saw that idea, I felt like that would be perfect for the parade for this year because I feel like everyone will have some type of memory associated with Christmas sweets, and of course those candy canes that decorate the Christmas tree.”
The parade sees a big turnout every year, and Watt said he hopes to see that trend continue.
“The parade is open to anyone and everyone in the community, no one will be turned away. The parade is a great time for everyone to come together and see friends and family on Kansas Avenue and take in the parade,” Watt said. “We'll all celebrate with family on Christmas Day, but the parade is a chance for the public to come together and celebrate together and see all the different floats. We've got a few entertainers lined up already for before the parade, and I know a lot of people enjoy that. It's a truly open activity for everyone in the community to attend and enjoy. Enjoy the floats and music and lights and everything else you'll see that night. If you're as big a Christmas fan as I am, you look forward to getting out in public and seeing all the decorations and hearing all the Christmas carols and everything else, so how could you not be happy after that? Be there Dec. 7 and come and enjoy the evening.”
While the parade is next week, Watt said there is still time to sign up to be part of the pre-parade entertainment.
“We've still got a little bit of time, so if anyone does want to perform, we'll welcome them. If you want to sing some carols or show off a dance routine, or if your church choir or civic group wants to do a special song, we'll welcome you,” Watt said. “We'll also welcome any and all school groups from the area, whether it's Liberal or our Oklahoma Panhandle neighbors, Turpin or Tyrone. If you'll get in touch with us and let us know, we'll get you on the schedule, so don't miss your shot. People who are interested in doing any pre-parade entertainment would need to get in touch with me at the paper at either (620) 626-0840 or by email at
Watt said he has enjoyed keeping the parade a big tradition for Liberal.
“We've enjoyed keeping the parade tradition alive, it's really grown throughout the years. But unfortunately, there are some traditions that haven't been able to be maintained – for example, last year was the final Folk Art Festival because the coordinator, Ada Linenbroker, decided to retire from it and no one picked up the reins,” Watt said. “Keeping traditions alive is hard, and we really want to keep this Christmas parade tradition alive for the community to enjoy. As long as the community is willing and able, we'll keep sponsoring the parade and we'll do everything we can. And the parade is truly an all-hands-on-deck evening because nearly everyone on the L&T staff plays a role, whether it's taking photos or streaming it on our social media for the people who can't be there in person or interviewing the prize winners. And this might sound somewhat random, but since Christmas and Hanukkah are close together this year, if you want to share a menorah, you're more than welcome to do that.”
Overall, Watt said, he hopes the parade is a time of fun and happiness for everyone.
“I know there's been some feelings about the recent election, and I know there's been some tough times for people the past few years, but this parade is beyond all of that,” Watt said. “We can use the parade to focus on the future. There are a lot of great things happening in Liberal right now – businesses are opening, housing is being built, so this is a good time for Liberal. With that in mind, let's all come together and celebrate Liberal and the holiday season. This won't be a time for debates or arguments, it's a great opportunity to just enjoy the spirit of the season. Come out and be a part of a great evening and enjoy being with the rest of the community, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the parade.”
