Appleton Christmas Parade To Include Moment Of Silence For Waukesha Community

From the City of Appleton:

November 22, 2021

The Appleton Christmas Parade will begin at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23, to include a silent procession of City staff and elected officials dedicated to the victims and families of the Waukesha community. The Appleton Police Department will continue with their safety plans to include visibility of public safety vehicles and personnel along the route.

Below is a joint statement from the City of Appleton and the Appleton Parade Committee:

The City of Appleton stands with our neighbors in Waukesha in the wake of yesterday’s tragic incident at their annual Christmas parade. Our hearts are heavy even as we prepare to hold our own Christmas parade and to gather in the same spirit of community, celebration, and peace that brought the Waukesha community together on Sunday. The City of Appleton has reached out to the City of Waukesha directly to offer our support and heartfelt condolences as they mourn. We also extend our condolences to members of our own community affected directly and indirectly by yesterday’s events.

After careful consideration, the Appleton Parade Committee and the City of Appleton have decided to proceed with our 50th Downtown Appleton Christmas Parade. Participants and attendees, as in years past, will continue to see public safety personnel and vehicles from the Appleton Police Department and other city equipment and vehicles present on the route. The Parade Committee and the Police Department have worked collaboratively for years to provide safe gatherings for our community, and the Appleton Christmas Parade on November 23 will be no exception.

The Parade Committee will feature a silent procession, which will occur immediately before the start of Appleton’s Christmas Parade, dedicated to the Waukesha community. The Committee asks that parade attendees join in a moment of silence for the victims and families as the procession passes by.

The Appleton Christmas Parade will follow its planned route, moving eastbound on College Avenue from State Street to Drew Street. The parade route will block or restrict traffic on and across College Avenue from 6:00 p.m. until approximately 10:00 p.m. See below for a timeline of traffic closures provided by the Appleton Police Department:

4:30pm - State St is closed from College to Sixth. Staging area is closed to all traffic except parade units and local residents/businesses. The staging area is the area between College and Sixth on the N/S, and Walnut and Memorial on the E/W.

5:00pm - Lawrence from Memorial to Superior becomes a one-way eastbound-only.

5:40pm - East/west traffic on College between Richmond and Lawe is shut down. N/S remains open at Richmond, Drew, and Appleton Streets. Northbound-only traffic remains open on Morrison Street, as does southbound-only on Durkee Street.

6:00pm - Cross traffic at Drew Street is shut down. College/Morrison (n/b only), College/Durkee (s/b only) & College/Appleton remain open.

6:30 pm - All cross-traffic along College Avenue is shut down. N/S remains open at Richmond and Lawe.

In addition to navigating downtown, here is some helpful information if you plan on attending the parade:

--You may place chairs and blankets along the parade route any time after noon on Tuesday, November 23, but only if you remain with these items.

--Spectators are encouraged to follow CDC guidelines for mitigating the spread of COVID-19: please wear a mask when appropriate, physically distance from others, and stay home if you are feeling ill.

This press release was produced by the City of Appleton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.