PONTIAC, Mich. – December 5, 2014 – Behind the scenes in offices and homes throughout the greater Pontiac area there is a small army of volunteers working tirelessly to make sure everything is in place for families who attend the annual Holiday Extravaganza.
They are ironing out parking details, lining up sponsors and making final preparations on parade floats. Each is using their individual talents toward a common cause and all who attend will reap the rewards from their hard work.
The 2014 Holiday Extravaganza Parade is presented by Genisys Credit Union and Michigan Works of Oakland County. This is a FREE, family-oriented event that features lots of children’s activities as part of the Children WinterART Festival and the Gallery of Ice with live demonstrations starting at 8:30 am. Even parking is FREE. The event is a collaborative effort between the communities of Auburn Hills, Pontiac, Waterford and White Lake and coordinated by the non-profit for the Holiday Extravaganza Parade.
Last year, 10,000 people attended the parade and another 2,000 people participated. The WinterFUN Festival activities attracted thousands of families. Organizers hope to top those numbers this year as the Holiday Extravaganza Parade celebrates its 33rd year.
“This year we are excited to celebrate and coordinate the 33rd year of Holiday Extravaganza, which will be the most exciting parade, to date,” said Jackie Buchanan, President/CEO of Genisys Credit Union. “We have been working the entire year to bring together communities to celebrate and kick off the holiday season with 8 wonderful professional floats, 4 large cold-air balloons, 7 outstanding high school marching bands, and a host of other community organizations and groups representing nearly 100 entries.”
The parade will kick off at 11 a.m. Dec. 6 starting at the Oakland Livingston Human Services Agency on Ceazer Chavez and continues down Saginaw Street ending at the Phoenix Center. The Honorary Grand Marshall this year is Doni Flynn co-host of the Jay Towers Morning Show on 100.3 WNIC. People of all ages will delight in the colorful display of floats, smile at the sight of horse-drawn wagons and carriages and enjoy the festive music from local marching bands.
Numerous volunteers will don character costumes that children will easily recognize from their favorite movies and television shows. These characters will interact with children along the parade route.
Of course, everyone loves the festive floats. However, the floats wouldn’t have anywhere to go without the assistance of vehicles being provided by Lee Industrial Contracting/Transportation of Pontiac.
In addition to the parade, the extravaganza includes craft projects, a petting farm, Santa’s reindeer, face painters, balloon artists, ice sculptures, live ice carving demonstrations, S’mores, free hot chocolate sites, and more as part of the Children WinterART Festival.
A new addition to the Children’s WinterART Festival this year is the DIA Away: Think Like an Artist interactive classroom. This is a 53’ double expandable trailer that travels to bring hands-on interactive art experiences to the community. Participants will discover some of the ways artists think and then have the opportunity to try out creative thinking skills at digital and hands-on stations. These activities run from 8:30-10:30 a.m. while the parade steps off at 11 a.m.
“This is going to be an exciting year and we are honored to once again be one of the Presenting Sponsors. The Parade and Children WinterART Festival has grown over the years and certainly has become a tradition for so many families,” stated John Almstadt, Director of Workforce Development for Oakland County.
Another new addition to the holiday festivities is the Holiday Craft and Vendor show located in 7 North Saginaw. The Holiday Craft and Vendor show starts 8:30 a.m. and runs until 3:00 p.m. while downtown for the Parade event goers are able to stop by the local vendor’s booths to get some of their holiday shopping done.
Santa and Mrs. Claus will delight children along the parade route. After the parade children can visit Santa & Mrs. Claus at the Pontiac Public Library. While girls and boys share their holiday wishes with Santa, families can enjoy holiday treats.
After the parade has ended, viewers may continue to experience fantastic Holiday Extravaganza Parade memories by referring to their Local Network Channel for the schedule and frequency when the video of the parade will be repeatedly shown.
This event would not be possible without the support of the following Presenting Sponsors Genisys Credit Union and Michigan Works of Oakland County. Or the support of the Corporate sponsors: Axis Crossmedia, The Crofoot, Lamers Creative, Little Caesars, Main Street Oakland County, McLaren Oakland, Media Network of Waterford, the Oakland County Sheriff’s Department, The Oakland Press, Oakland Livingston Human Service Agency, The Parade Company, and Ultimate Soccer Arena and so many more local companies.
For more information about Holiday Extravaganza activities, call the Holiday Extravaganza hotline at (248) 858-8347 Ext. 5180 or visit www.holidayextravaganza.org.
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