OLEAN, N.Y. — The ever-popular Santa Claus Lane Parade in Olean; the official kick-off to the holiday season in the area in which Santa and Mrs. Claus lights thousands of light bulbs in the skylines and snowflakes and stars in downtown Olean are back Friday at the intersection of Delaware Avenue and North Union Street.
The Parade is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, near the Burger King on North Union Street in Olean. The parade will stagger and use both sides of the street.
Paul Brown Motors and Toys-4-Tots will be teaming up again this year. Their goal is to collect as many toys as possible. Help them fill up the pick-up truck with toys, of course. Last year’s Toys-4-Tots campaign helped loads of children in the immediate area. Look for Paul Browns and the Toys-4-Tots pick-up truck on East State St., between Lincoln Park and the city building to drop off an unwrap gift for a local child.
Delaware Avenue will be closed to traffic at 5:30 p.m. with North Union Street closing to traffic at 6:15 p.m. The city’s downtown parking lots will be opened and free to park. The city building’s restrooms will be open the night of the parade from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Extra uniformed personnel of the Olean Fire and Police Departments will be on hand. Lost children should report to the Chamber office. The parking spaces along both sides of North Union Street from Route 417 to Delaware Avenue will be closed to any vehicles for parking at 4 p.m. Cars, trucks, etc. will be allowed to park back along these spaces after 8:30 p.m. Also, the detour route will be First Street from Wayne to Henley, as well as East/West Henley from South First Street to South Barry Streets. No parking will be allowed along the detour route as well.
Olean Police Chief Ron Richardson stated, “Please parents have your family members stay up on the curbs on Union Street as well as off the medians and roundabouts — they are not to be used for viewing the parade.”
Eric Jones, the most-booked caricature artist in upstate New York and recent winner of The Food Network’s “Outrageous Pumpkins;” will be the parade’s grand marshal this year/
All parade units (fire trucks, trucks, trailers or any vehicle driving in the parade) must enter the staging area by entering the Olean Center Mall entrance from North Union Street. Parents dropping off children to be in a parade unit, please enter the same route at the mall and head towards KeyBank..
WPIG-FM will be the official emcees of the parade and will announce the parade line up at their official emcee booth near the intersection of Union and State Streets.
Although there is no official deadline for parade applications, The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce urges all participants to get the information into the chamber by today. All parade participants must have a waiver signed, and chamber officials ask that all waivers be handed in by Friday, to the volunteers at the parade staging area.
