December 7th, 2024
Annual Bend Christmas Parade
The Bend Christmas Parade is organized and run by a volunteer group of dedicated Christmas-Parade-Loving citizens on the first Saturday of December every year. It's the largest Christmas parade in Oregon. In 2023, approximately 2,000 people marched or rode in the 107 entries in the parade, while an estimated 10,000 kids of all ages crowded the streets of downtown Bend to watch the parade and enjoy the launch of the Christmas season.
The first recorded Christmas parade in Bend was circa 1950. It ranged from Santa on a "sleigh" floating down the river at Drake Park, to sled dog races and costume contests. The Bend Downtowners, the City of Bend, and Bend Parks and Recreation Department ran the parade in the 70's and 80's, until 1992, Parks and Recreation sought a new producer for the event. A number of Bend residents who recognized how important the Parade is in connecting and unifying our community assumed the responsibility for producing the Parade under the leadership of Mr. Ernie Gilpin.
Thus, the all-volunteer Bend Christmas Parade Committee has offered the Parade to the community for the past 29 years. With Mr. Gilpin’s passing in 2020, leadership of the Parade Committee passed to Michael Sipe, 10x Catalyst Groups and the non-profit Frontline Foundation.
Producing the Parade requires over 150 volunteers, whose responsibilities include organizing the entries, preparing entries for line-up, publicity, treasurer, working with the animal entries, judging, composing scripts for announcers, public safety, and acting as parade marshals. Some volunteers have been with the Committee since its inception.
Annual Bend Christmas Parade
The Bend Christmas Parade is organized and run by a volunteer group of dedicated Christmas-Parade-Loving citizens on the first Saturday of December every year. It's the largest Christmas parade in Oregon. In 2023, approximately 2,000 people marched or rode in the 107 entries in the parade, while an estimated 10,000 kids of all ages crowded the streets of downtown Bend to watch the parade and enjoy the launch of the Christmas season.
The first recorded Christmas parade in Bend was circa 1950. It ranged from Santa on a "sleigh" floating down the river at Drake Park, to sled dog races and costume contests. The Bend Downtowners, the City of Bend, and Bend Parks and Recreation Department ran the parade in the 70's and 80's, until 1992, Parks and Recreation sought a new producer for the event. A number of Bend residents who recognized how important the Parade is in connecting and unifying our community assumed the responsibility for producing the Parade under the leadership of Mr. Ernie Gilpin.
Thus, the all-volunteer Bend Christmas Parade Committee has offered the Parade to the community for the past 29 years. With Mr. Gilpin’s passing in 2020, leadership of the Parade Committee passed to Michael Sipe, 10x Catalyst Groups and the non-profit Frontline Foundation.
Producing the Parade requires over 150 volunteers, whose responsibilities include organizing the entries, preparing entries for line-up, publicity, treasurer, working with the animal entries, judging, composing scripts for announcers, public safety, and acting as parade marshals. Some volunteers have been with the Committee since its inception.
