The Havendale Christmas Parade is planned to make its return on Friday, December 3, 2021!
Nothing brings people together like the holidays. So it only seems right that the cities of Winter Haven and Auburndale are coming together for the return of their annual Havendale Christmas Parade this year on Friday, December 3.
Since 2002, the City of Auburndale and the City of Winter Haven have coordinated to bring their communities together to celebrate the beginning of the Christmas season with a parade. Back then, neither city had a Christmas parade to call their own. That is what spurred Auburndale’s City Manager, Bobby Green, to contact Winter Haven’s City Manager, Carl Cheatham and begin the planning process of a brand-new event, the Havendale Christmas Parade. The two cities had initially planned for the first parade to take place in 2001, but the tragedy of the September 11 attacks had moved the inaugural parade to 2002.
Since its inception, the joint parade has been a success over the years. It is an effort of not only the Auburndale and Winter Haven municipalities, but of numerous businesses and organizations located on the Havendale Boulevard corridor and throughout the two cities. Even the City of Lake Alfred joins along, each year registering a float of their very own. And newcomers find their way into the lineup every year thanks to the Greater Auburndale Chamber of Commerce. Their commitment to communicating and organizing with the business community has been instrumental in enlisting new groups to join in on the parade. For 2021, the parade will feature over 100 entries!
For many residents, the parade is a cherished annual tradition that not only allows them the opportunity to kick off the holiday season in style, but also allow them to share such an experience with people from neighboring cities. You can expect to see hundreds gathered along Havendale Boulevard for a chance to see the annual parade, which includes holiday-themed floats, marching bands, police and rescue vehicles, honor guard, and holly jolly Santa Claus!
Both the communities of Auburndale and Winter Haven are looking forward to the return of the Havendale Christmas Parade. Plus, one of the original founders, Auburndale’s Former City Manager Bobby Green will be featured as the Grand Marshall of this year’s event. The parade will start on Friday, December 3, at 7:00 PM. Havendale Boulevard will be closed to regular traffic at 6:00 PM and detours will be provided on Facebook and City Websites. The route of the Havendale Christmas Parade is planned to start at the Spring Haven Community in Winter Haven and head west to the Publix in Auburndale.
