The Monday after Thanksgiving means different things to different people. For the people in the Ironton area, it means time for the Lions Club Christmas Parade.

“We have a pretty good parade this year,” Lou Pyles, Lions Club member and parade organizer, said. “There will be people’s favorites they have come to know, love and expect as well as some new floats and faces in the lineup.”

The theme for this year’s parade is “Dear Santa.” Carpenters Local Union No. 472 will participate for the second year in a row and Green Acres Regional Center from Lesage, West Virginia, will make its first appearance.

“Green Acres’ involvement will bring even more people in from the area,” Pyles said. “The parade and the people involved are really good things for the community and this event really kind of opens up the Christmas season here in the area. As usual, we hope for good weather.”

Pyles said the Southern Ohio Amateur Radio Association will assist with the parade again this year and will also have a special float in remembrance of Boyd Little, a SOARA member who recently died.

“Boyd was a great person and the SOARA members are great people,” Pyles said. “It’s a good thing they help us and we greatly appreciate it.”

The Ironton High School Million Dollar Marching Band will perform throughout the parade and cheerleading squads from Ironton, Rock Hill and St. Joseph will also march.

“Hopefully people will enjoy it this year as much as they have in the past,” Pyles said.

The parade begins at 6 p.m. on Monday. The route will start at Railroad Street going to Second Street to Washington Street, back down Third Street to Center Street. Santa Claus will be stationed at Railroad Street between Second and Third streets beginning at 5:15 p.m.

The Ironton Lions Club has organized the annual parade since 2003.

 

 

2014 Ironton Christmas Parade lineup

Division I

• Lions Club banners and flags

• Parade banner

• VFW 8850 Color Guard

• Ironton Fire Department (vehicle)

• IHS Marching Band

• IHS Cheerleaders

• Ironton Middle School Cheerleaders

• St. Joseph H.S. Cheerleaders

• Ohio State Patrol (vehicle)

• Mayor Rich Blankenship

• WTCR Radio (vehicle)

• WAMX Radio (vehicle)

• WVBV Radio (vehicle)

• WKEE Radio (vehicle)

• I HART Radio (vehicle)

• Yvonne DeKay School of Dance

• Wendy’s Restaurants

• Sanctuary of the Ohio Valley (vehicle)

• COAD Foster Grandparent Program

• Ironton-Lawrence County CAO Head Start

 

Division II

• WEMM Radio (vehicle)

• M&M Inflatables (vehicle)

• World’s Mrs. Ohio Tourism (Latoria Potter)

• Therapy Dog “Beck” and Friends (float)

• Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital (float)

• Zumba Fitness

• WLGC Radio (vehicle)

• Cyndi’s Studio

• Rock Hill H.S. Cheerleaders

• Rock Hill A Team Cheerleaders

• Carpenter’s Union 472 (float)

• El Hasa Shrine

 

Division III

Staging Area: Railroad Street, 4th to 5th Street

• Pump-Up-The-Fun Inflatables (float)

• Kentucky Fried Chicken (float)

• Shake Shoppe (vehicle)

• O.A.C.W.C. Youth Clubs

• Fiesta Hair Fashion

• Ironton Girl Scouts Troops 985-425-1271

• Ironton Girl Scouts Daisy Troop 990

• Dawson-Bryant Girl Scout Troops 1269-2186

• Green Acres Regional Center (vehicles)

 

Division IV

• OUSC (Band, vehicle, float)

• LCEMS (vehicles)

• MTS Ambulance (vehicle)

• Hamilton Twp. VFD (vehicle)

• Patriot Ambulance

 

Division V

• Vehicle (In Memory of Boyd Little, SOARA)

• Ironton Lions Club Banner

• Santa Claus

• SOARA (Ham Radio)

• Ironton Police Department