56TH ANNUAL, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2016 at 10am
"It's a Gingerbread Thing" announced as theme for the 56th Annual Downtown Garden City Santaland Parade!
Even though it’s been one of the hottest summers in recent memory, plans are coming together for Garden City’s premier cold weather event- the 56th Downtown Garden City Santaland Parade. The 2016 parade will be Saturday, November 26 beginning at 10 am.
The theme of this year’s parade is “It’s a Gingerbread Thing” incorporating the City’s “It’s a Garden City Thing” campaign.
“Everyone has been so great with their floats and entries and incorporating the theme, said Margo Arnoske, one of the parade committee members. “We really hope everyone will have a great time with this theme.”
Last year over 70 entries are were in the parade including three marching bands, the Great Lakes Garrison Star Wars costuming group, the GCHS Homecoming Court, the Redford Jaycees Lawn Mower Drill Corp, the Harmony Acres Arabian Horses, Paws from the Detroit Tigers and Roary from the Lions, the American Legion Riders, the Royal Arch Masons, Sam the Fireman, the Redford Unicycle Club and dozens of local scout troops, community organizations, marchers, floats and more.
To have your group be in the parade, just go to
The Downtown Garden City Santaland Parade is totally self-funded with donations from sponsors. The Garden City Downtown Development Authority continues as the title sponsor, once again contributing $7,000 towards the operations of the parade to cover the cost of police overtime and barricades. Other sponsors from last year included the Michigan Credit Union League ($2,000), Garden City Hospital ($1,000) and the DTE Energy Foundation ($1,000). A $700 in-kind donation was made by Inkorporate Graphics and $500 donations came in from Fleming Financial Services, Gordon Chevrolet, Barsamian Family Dentistry, the Santeiu Family, Garden City Medical Center and Harris Funeral Homes. Donations of $250 was received from Mayor Randy Walker and his wife Linda, Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Whitoff and Bennett PC, Urgent Care One, McKenna and Associates and Hershey’s Shoes. $100 was donated by GC Ace Hardware and Michael Sakovich and Wendy Press.
Along with the dozens of volunteers that come from the Garden City Community Coalition and the
Family Resource Center, the Santaland Parade Committee (which is a part of the Garden City
Community Coalition) is made up of Monica Fulton, Pat Squires, Margo Arnoske, Rob Cox, Craig Sayers, Kevin Kramis and Dan York.
Information on the 2016 Downtown Garden City Santaland Parade can be found on the parade’s website at www.santalandparade.com or follow the parade on Facebook at Garden City Santaland Parade.
