Lakeland Christmas Parade 2016: Tips for Enjoying the Fun

LAKELAND, FL — The City of Lakeland is gearing up for its 36th annual Christmas parade. The “Miracle on Main Street” is set to step off on Thursday, officially kicking off the holiday season.

To make sure spectators enjoy the show, the city has released an insider’s guide with tips on such things as the best viewing areas and safety.

The Dec. 1 event, sponsored by the Junior League of Greater Lakeland, gets under way at 7 p.m. Dec. 1 with a fireworks display over Lake Mirror that is expected to last about 15 minutes. The parade itself steps off from The Lakeland Center after the fireworks, taking a route that begins on Lemon Street and then turns left onto Tennessee. The parade will then move onto Main Street, go around Lake Mirror on South Lake Avenue and Orange Street before heading back to The Lakeland Center.

Here are a few of the things the city wants viewers to know before they go:

Parade Viewing Spots

• Spectators are welcome to place chairs along the route, but not for more than 24 hours in advance of the parade
• Chairs that obstruct roads, driveways and entrances will be removed
• Chairs should not block sidewalks, entrances to buildings or parking lots
• Make sure enough room is left for pedestrians and those who use wheelchairs to access sidewalks
• Do not leave chairs directly in front of the fire station

Food and Drinks

People are more than welcome to bring their own snacks and drinks to the parade with these caveats in mind:

• No open containers (alcohol) are permitted
• Glass bottles and containers are not welcome
• Anything brought to the parade should be disposed of in its proper place

Parking

People who aren’t sure where to park are asked to check out the city’s Downtown Lakeland Parking Guide for details on garages, street parking and so on.

Visitors should note the following:

• All metered, pay by space and permitted lots are free after 5 p.m. and all day on weekends. This does not, however, apply to privately owned parking lots and garages.
• Handicapped parking is available in city garages and lots. Check out the parking guide for details.
• It is best to watch the parade on the same side of the route from which a vehicle is parked. People will not be allowed to cross the road until the parade clears an area.

Safety

Parade goers are asked to report anything suspicious they see to the police department by calling 863-834-6900. The Lakeland Police Department says “see something, say something” applies even during the parade.

Viewing from Home

People who cannot attend the parade in person will be able to check it out live on:

• Facebook Live
• LGN
• Brighthouse Channel 643
• FiOS channel 43

Replays will be available on-demand after the parade via lgn.lakelandgov.net.

For more information, visit the city of Lakeland online.

Image via Shutterstock