Hailey
Downtown Emporia came alive with colour, lights, and excitement during the 47th Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade. Families, students, and community members filled the streets to enjoy a night of holiday celebration.
The event brought together music, creativity, and community spirit, making it a memorable start to the festive season. The atmosphere was warm, joyful, and full of true holiday cheer.
Holiday Festivities Fill the Streets
This year’s parade followed the theme “Country Christmas,” which added a cosy and traditional holiday feel. The streets were beautifully decorated, and people gathered early to find the best spots to watch the floats and performances.
Before the parade began, Pastor Mike Stubbs from Victory Fellowship shared a short Christmas message and benediction. His words focused on kindness, unity, and the meaning of the holiday season.
The Emporia High Chorale and Viva Voce then performed Christmas songs, filling the downtown area with soft, cheerful music that welcomed everyone.
Live Broadcast and Student Production Team
The entire parade was broadcast on KVOE and KVOE.com/TV. This made it possible for residents who could not attend in person to enjoy the celebration from home.
A team of Multimedia Design students from Flint Hills Technical College handled the production and broadcast. It was a great learning experience for them and helped make the parade accessible to more people.
Rebeca Herrera, the Chamber Membership Director, shared that there were originally 92 entries for the parade. However, seven of those entries were mistakenly registered for a different city—Emporia, Virginia.
After correcting this, the final parade lineup included 85 entries. Even with this change, the parade remained one of the biggest and most exciting ones held in recent years.
Parade Award Winners
Many groups worked hard to prepare floats and performances that matched the “Country Christmas” theme. After the parade ended, four groups received special awards for their creativity, effort, and presentation.
Here is the parade award list in a simple table:
Parade Awards
| Award Category | Winner |
|---|---|
| Parade Marshal Award | Latin Fit |
| Parade Committee Award | Mexis |
| Chamber Award | CareArc |
| Mayor’s Award | Hostess |
These groups stood out for their colourful decorations, teamwork, and festive energy. Their floats helped make the entire parade more exciting for the community.
A Celebration That Brings the Community Together
The Emporia Christmas Parade has been a community tradition for 47 years. Events like this help bring people closer and remind everyone of the importance of celebrating together.
Children enjoy seeing the floats and lights, families get to spend time together, and local organizations have a chance to share their creativity and spirit.
This year’s event was filled with laughter, music, and smiles from people of all ages. The support from local schools, churches, businesses, and volunteers showed how strong the Emporia community truly is.
The 47th Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade proved once again why it continues to be one of the most loved traditions in the city. With bright lights, amazing floats, holiday music, and dedicated community participation, the event brought joy to everyone who attended.
As Emporia looks ahead to future celebrations, this parade will continue to be a shining example of holiday spirit, unity, and the happiness that comes from celebrating together.