The 53rd annual Christmas Parade, sponsored by Florida Parishes Bank and themed “It’s a Wonderful Life,” rolled through Southeastern’s campus and downtown Hammond at 5 p.m. on Saturday as a crowd of students and citizens of Hammond and nearby towns shared in the holiday spirit.

Marquelle Gordon of Amite has been attending the annual Christmas parade since she was a child and commends the participating riders on their efforts to give the local community a family-oriented holiday event.

“I love it,” said Gordon of the annual Christmas Parade. “It’s like every year the floats are decorated better, more and more decorations, the music live, everything’s better every year. I’m coming again next year.”

Others had similar views about the parade and decided to integrate their day with not only the parade, but local businesses along the route of West Thomas Street, North Oak Street and Northwest Railroad Avenue.

“I thoroughly enjoyed the parade,” said Michelle Landry, a resident of Hammond since 2005. “I liked that they had the restaurants open and we did a little community eating, you know supporting the local businesses,”

“I came to the parade because we went to it last year and we were trying to see what it was all about this year,” said Jonathan Price, mass communications major at Southeastern. “It’s a nice parade and it’s not too long and it’s not too short, so it’s a great parade.”

According to the Hammond Chamber of Commerce the parade featured 69 individual sanctions. Leading the parade was the Hammond Police Department, driving by in a police patrol vehicle. Following them was the Hammond Fire Department, represented by the green and gold Southeastern decaled fire apparatus.

Several high schools including Hammond High School and Independence High School featured marching bands, cheerleaders and dance teams. The Southeastern “Spirit of the Southland” band was also seen performing early in the parade.

Some extensively decorated floats included were those of local businesses who were looking to promote their platforms while giving the community holiday entertainment. These included Charter’s lit up company vehicle, Ed’s Plumbing Service whose participants threw beads from an antique rust-colored railway train and El Agave Mexican restaurant who decaled their float with piñatas.  

 “I’m pretty much family oriented so that is why I am here today,” said Marcelino Garcia, owner of El Agave restaurant. “My little kids love it, and I just want to keep them doing something useful.”

Zuly Bayer, special education teacher at Midway Elementary School, is a friend and regular to the Garcia family’s restaurant. Bayer, who has four children, three with disabilities, said the annual Christmas Parade in Hammond has always been inviting and comfortable for her family, unlike busier parades in New Orleans.

“We just love the family atmosphere [of the Christmas parade] and they invited us to assist in building their float and our family to ride with them and we’re real appreciative of them,” said Bayer. “This is actually our first year participating in the parade and we just really enjoy it because it’s not very large and it’s a family atmosphere.”