Dunkirk Holiday Parade - Dec 1st, 2023
Dunkirk Holiday Parade
Presented by Special Metals Corporation
with support from the New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities, The Botox Barn & Wellness, Refresco, and North County Landscaping
Dunkirk Holiday Parade Line Up
The Dunkirk Holiday Parade will be held on Friday evening, December 1 at 6:30 p.m. on Central Avenue.
The theme this year is “Holiday Movie Magic.”
Parade registration is now closed.
The Parade line up will begin any time between 5:00 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Third Street, between Robin Street and Central Avenue.
The parade will begin promptly at 6:30 pm, traveling south toward City Hall and end at 5th Street.
At the end of parade, vehicles will make a right on Fifth Street toward Dunkirk Intermediate School and then a left on Eagle Street and disperse in the school parking lot on Sixth Street.
Parade entries will arrive traveling down Robin Street to be lined up in numerical order along the Third Street railroad berm starting from the corner of Central Avenue and Third Street (parade start) toward Robin Street.
Community members are reminded not to park on Central Avenue between Third Street and Fifth Street after 5:30 p.m. this Friday evening. Barricades will be placed there from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Vehicles parked there will not be able to move until after the parade.
The parade line up will be alongside the Third Street railroad tracks from Robin Street to Central Avenue. The public will be restricted from parking in this area designated for parade participants to line up.
The parade line up with numbered entries is as follows:
1. Dunkirk Police car escort with Mayor Elect Kate Wdowiasz
2. City of Dunkirk Council Members
3. Dave Rowley – parade marshal
4. Special Metals Corporation – presenting sponsor
5. Refresco – sponsor
6. Dunkirk JROTC
7. Chautauqua Opportunities, Inc.
8. Boys & Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County
9. West Dunkirk Volunteer Fire Company
10. The Resource Center
11. NCCYHA Steelers Hockey
12. Edwin R. Gomez
13. Soto Family
14. Silver Creek Fire Department
15. Girl Scout Troop #20237
16. North County Landscaping – sponsor
17. Molina Healthcare, Inc.
17A. Southern Chautauqua Federal Credit Union
18. East Dunkirk Fire Department
19. City of Dunkirk Development Department
20. City of Dunkirk Housing, Building & Zoning Office
21. E.J. Hayes Family & Friends
22. Dunkirk Fire Department Truck 1
23. Dunkirk Fire Department Engine 1
24. Dunkirk Fire Department Engine 4
25. Santa Claus & Mrs. Claus, Rudolph & elves
26. Dunkirk Police car escort
The grand marshal of the parade will be Dave Rowley who recently retired from WDOE and Kix Country after 31 years of dedicated service.
In his 42 years of broadcasting, reporting, producing and hosting, Cassadaga resident Rowley and his wife Cheryl of 32 years, are looking forward to time off and being a frequent visitor to the city of Dunkirk.
The event will feature “We Are 3” pre-parade entertainment from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at City Hall. The band, under the promotion of Todd Langworthy of Southern Tier Promotions, is a new alternative blues-rock band based out of Buffalo with lead guitarist/saxophonist Augie Bates, drummer Andrew Anable, bassist Wally Galey and lead singer Harper Wells.
Trophies will be awarded to the first, second, third place as well as best of show. Refresco, Neff & Aida DeJesus, Fun-B-Que and Southpaw Signs & Stripes are the parade trophy sponsors.
Parade entrants are reminded not to have any Santa suits or Santa actors in parade since Santa Claus will arrive at the end of the parade to kick off the holiday season. Participants are encouraged to play their favorite Christmas music and sport Christmas lights on their vehicles or person.
Spectators are reminded to dress warm to enjoy the holiday event. Central Station Restaurant will be open until 7:30 p.m. for food and drink purchases. Fun-B-Que will be selling light-up toys and other fun items during the parade.
Please share any parade pictures taken Friday night to the city’s Dunkirk Festivals & Special Events Facebook page or e-mail them to smekus@cityofdunkirk.com.
For more parade information, please visit www.cityofdunkirk.com or contact Ryan Hall at City of Dunkirk at (716) 366-9886 or rhall@cityofdunkirk.com.