OAKLAND — Town officials hope that a Christmas parade and downtown decorating contest can bring the holiday spirit to downtown Oakland and become annual traditions.

The events are part of a year-long drive to increase civic participation and pride in Oakland and focus attention on the downtown business district, said Kathy Paradis, a deputy clerk in the town office. Organizers hope the parade will be a winter counterpoint to OakFest, the town’s new summer festival.

Some residents have for years been asking the town to do more during the holiday season, Paradis said.

“I would hope everyone could come out for our first annual event and enjoy what the downtown can be like,” Paradis said.

The parade is timed to coincide with the town’s annual downtown tree lighting on this Friday. The Oakland Lions Club is co-sponsoring the parade and decorating contest.

The parade theme is Holly Days. People are asked to decorate their floats with lights and avoid using Santa Claus, because the parade will feature one Santa on the last float.

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Applications for the parade can be picked up at the town office and are due back by Wednesday.

Instead of an application fee, organizers are asking participants to donate clothing and toys to Arianna Bragg, the 3-year-old girl whose parents, Amanda Bragg and Michael Muzerolle, along with her aunt, Amy DeRosby, were killed by Herman DeRico in their Belgrade Road house on Nov. 4. People attending the parade are also encouraged to bring a donation, Paradis said. “We thought it would be nice to brighten up the little girl’s Christmas,” she said.

Lineup for the parade will start at 4:30 p.m. and the parade begins at 5:30 p.m. at Atwood Elementary School on Heath Street and finish at Williams Elementary School on Pleasant Street. The tree lighting at TD Bank on Main Street will be held immediately afterward.

Volunteers will pass out free hot chocolate and candy canes during the event.

Five groups have taken out a parade application, and Paradis thinks the number will grow by the application deadline.

Town officials hope that a storefront decorating contest will keep the holiday spirit lingering in downtown for the rest of the month.

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Any downtown business can participate in the contest and decorate with trees, lights and other “holiday decor.” Businesses can sign up between Monday and Thursday and must have decorations in their windows by Dec. 7. The $25 entrance fee will be donated to the Oakland soup and sandwich program, a free meal served every Thursday by the Oakland United Baptist Church on Church Street.

A panel of judges from the town of Oakland and the Oakland Lions Club will announce the first, second and third place winners on Dec. 21. The town council recently approved a new Oakland Downtown Betterment Committee to come up with more ideas like the decorating contest to grab people’s interest in the town’s downtown business district.

Although registration for the contest is limited to Oakland businesses, people from other towns are encouraged to attend all the holiday events, Paradis said.

“You don’t have to be from Oakland. If you would like to join us, we would love to have you,” she said.

 

This story is corrected to reflect the time of the parade lineup and parade

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Peter McGuire — 861-9239

pmcguire@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @PeteL_McGuire


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