The Record Newspapers - Hometown News For Orange County, Texas

The Orange Jaycees will sponsor the 62nd Annual Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The parade will start in the MacArthur Shopping center, in front of the old Sears store and end at 4th Street in front of Lamar Orange.

This year’s parade theme is “A Cowboy Christmas” and all are invited to enjoy this wonderful tradition.

“It’s [the parade is] a long tradition” Niki Monceaux, president of the Jaycees and chairman of the parade said.

Last years Jaycees parade was canceled due to cold weather, raid and snow, and rescheduled with a new route. “A Toyland Christmas” was the theme for the 61st annual event and the Grand marshal will be Skipper Free.

Parents may pick up their children who are in the parade near the Lamar Library.

The Orange Jaycees is a non-profit organization, Monceaux said.

“We are the Junior Chamber of Commerce,” Monceaux said. “We don’t deal a lot with the Chamber of Commerce. We are kind of off on our own. We are mainly known for The Christmas Parade. We do scholarships every year for local high school students.”

This is Monceaux’s first year to organize the parade.

“The Jaycees’ host the only Santa in the parade,” she said. “We rotate the fire departments in the city to take turns driving him [Santa] in the parade.”

The fire department of West Orange will be chauffeuring Santa in this years parade who normally will be ending the event.

Monceaux said there are about 80 plus entries at this time. Each entry is asked to donate one toy to the Salvation Army.

The Grand Marshall for this year is Sabrina Gray.

For questions and information you can call 409-289-6459. Entry forms are available at R&R Auto Supply on MacArthur Drive, Artcraft Printing on Western Avenue or at the Orange Chamber of Commerce at 10th and Green. Those who are wanting to enter a float into the parade need to call Monceaux and can do so up until Friday afternoon.