CITY OF WATERTOWN, NEW YORK

PLANNING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

SUITE 304, CITY HALL
245 WASHINGTON STREET
WATERTOWN, NEW YORK 13601-3362
TEL. (315) 785-7740
FAX (315) 785-7829

MICHAEL A. LUMBIS
PLANNING & COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR

MEDIA RELEASE

For Immediate Release

November 8, 2017

CHRISTMAS PARADE
& DOWNTOWN TREE LIGHTING
CEREMONY TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY
DECEMBER 1, 2017 STARTING AT 6:15 P.M.

On Friday, December 1, 2017 at 6:15 p.m., Downtown Watertown will be

full of holiday cheer and bustling with activity as Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr. and
members of the Watertown City Council host the annual Christmas Parade and Tree
Lighting Ceremony on Public Square. This years theme will be A Garland City
Christmas. Floats are encouraged to show their pride in Watertown and use this
theme in creating their floats.

The holiday festivities will begin at 6:15 p.m. on the north side of Public Square
with a musical performance by the General Brown Junior/Senior High Chorus. A
musical performance by the Jefferson Singers will follow at 6:30 p.m. and the award-
winning Northern Blend Chorus will perform at 6:45 p.m.

At 7:00 p.m., the annual Christmas Parade, featuring a special guest from the
North Pole, will travel through Public Square. The parade route will start on Black River
Parkway, enter Public Square at Mill Street, and travel through the north side of Public
Square and down Court Street before ending in the Court Street Parking Lot.

Following the parade at approximately 7:45 p.m., Mayor Joseph M. Butler Jr.
and members of the City Council will officially kick off the holiday season with a
countdown to turn on the Citys holiday music and light display.

After the parade and tree lighting, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be greeting children
in the Public Square Gazebo until 8:45 p.m. Mulled cider and hot cocoa will be served
free of charge during the event courtesy of the Downtown Business Association (DBA).
 Entries for the Christmas Parade are encouraged prior to Monday, November 27,
2017, but will be accepted up until the start of the parade. Contact Parade Chairman
Stanley Zaremba at (315) 416-1087 for more information.

Preparations for the holiday season and this event are already under way, as City
DPW crews are getting ready to install over 100 pole-mounted decorations throughout
the Downtown area. During the week of November 20-24, 2017, DPW crews will erect
a 35 cut Christmas tree in the center of Public Square. The tree, donated to the City
by the DBA, will be the centerpiece of the light and music display.

The music and light display features thousands of LED lights that are
synchronized to a variety of holiday songs. The music and light display will run every
30 minutes each night from 4:30 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. from December 1, 2017 through
January 5, 2018.

Beginning at 3:30 p.m. on the day of the event, all travel lanes on the north side
of Public Square will be closed to traffic and on-street parking will be restricted. In
addition, Black River Parkway, Court Street and portions of Mill Street will be closed to
traffic for the parade, beginning at approximately 5:45 p.m.

Temporary barricades, traffic cones and signage will be placed, and a detour
route will be established for the event. Parking will be available at one of the many City
parking lots in the downtown area and at the Jefferson County Human Services Building
North and South Parking Lots after 5:00 p.m.

Tree Lighting Contact: Geoffrey Urda, Planner, City of Watertown

(315) 785-7740

Downtown Business Association Contact: Al Romano Jr., Vice President

(315) 788-4503

Parade Contact: Stanley Zaremba, Parade Chairman

(315) 416-1087