Well, that was fast. A week after Watertown pulled the plug on its Christmas parade over cost, the parade is back on — this time paid for by the community instead of City Hall.
On September 22, the City Council voted unanimously to have the Northern New York Community Foundation manage donations and planning for the parade, after local businesses and residents stepped up to cover the cost. Mayor Sarah Pierce posted a thank-you the same day to everyone who volunteered to make it happen. 7News covered the vote here, and the mayor’s post is here.
Quick recap for anyone who missed the first round: the council voted earlier this year not to fund parades at all, citing a price tag around $13,000 — mostly overtime, according to the cost breakdown City Hall gave 7News’ Jeff Cole. The backup plan was a tree lighting and a visit with Santa at the Flower Memorial Library, no parade.
That didn’t sit well. The public pushback was loud, Councilman Ben Shoen floated the idea of the community raising the money itself, and now here we are: a unanimous council vote and a parade funded by the people who actually want it.
A couple of things worth saying about this. First, the Community Foundation running the money is the smart part — it keeps donations transparent and out of the annual budget fight, which is where this whole mess started. Second, say what you want about how the cancellation was handled, but a unanimous vote a week after a loud public debate is a council that heard people. That counts.
As for the details: the parade is reportedly set for Friday, December 11 along Washington Street in the evening, same as years past — but call that tentative until the city or the Foundation confirms it. The tree lighting and the library Santa visit are still on regardless.
If you were one of the businesses that chipped in: nicely done. This town has a habit of funding its own traditions when it has to. See you on Washington Street in December.