It's Winter; It's Light Up Lakewood Festival Parade Time! Embrace The Season And Join In For Holiday Fun!

On Dec. 3, 2011, come out and embrace winter! Participate in the First Annual Light Up Lakewood Festival Parade! We invite residents of Lakewood and throughout Northeast Ohio to join in the winter fun. Awards will be given to selected participants for “Best of Show,” “Most Creative” and “Best Use of Lights.” How can you participate, you ask? Here’s how:

First, get out your coat, hat, gloves, scarves, boots and ChapStick.

Second, call your family, friends and co-workers together.

Third, come up with a fun plan on how your group will participate in the Light Up Lakewood holiday parade:

· Create a float (Movie Theme, Christmas on the Beach, Christmas by the Fire, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Ethnic Holiday Celebration, School Promotion (Rangers, Eagles, colleges), Sport Celebration (skiing, skating, hockey), Holidays in Lakewood).

· Decorate a car or other vehicle with lights or other holiday decorations.

· Dress as holiday characters or themes. Gingerbread houses, marching packages, elves.

· Decorate your bicycles with lights or other holiday decorations.

· Create a marching drum, triangle or kazoo band.

· Get a choral group together.

· Promote a fundraiser (Toys for Tots, etc.)

· March to promote your organization (Girl/Boy Scouts, sports team, non-profit groups, LECPTA).

· Promote an upcoming event for your organization.

· Dress as your favorite holiday movie characters (Polar Express, A Christmas Carol, It’s a Wonderful Life, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Elf, etc.)

Fourth, fill out your Parade Application which may be found at: www.downtownlakewood.org. Applications are due Nov. 11, 2011 and there is NO COST to participate--it’s FREE!

Fifth, show up at 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 3, 2011 at Parkhaven Row (near Bunts Avenue), ready to parade down closed Detroit Avenue from Parkhaven Row to Arthur Avenue.

Sixth, celebrate after the parade by staying to enjoy the lighting ceremony and the rest of the Light Up Lakewood Festival activities on closed Detroit Avenue--music, entertainment, food, fun and of course Santa!

Remember, choosing a float or participation theme doesn't have to take hours of critical thinking. Opt for something fun, easy to execute and original. Cull ideas from movies, plays, literature and television.

So come on, Lakewoodites, join others like the many residents of Minnesota and other COLD, COLDER, COLDEST states that play host to hundreds of winter holiday parades. Don’t let the cold scare you--you cannot run, you cannot hide, so embrace, enjoy and welcome winter and the holidays to Northeast Ohio. See you at the Light Up Lakewood Festival Parade!

For questions or more information, call 216-521-0655 or e-mail Shannon at sstrachan@lakewoodalive.com.

Additional information and applications are available at www.downtownlakewood.org.

LakewoodAlive is a 501(c)(3) economic development organization whose mission is to facilitate economic stability and growth in the City of Lakewood. Light Up Lakewood is an event brought to Lakewood by resident volunteers of Downtown Lakewood the National Main Street™ program for LakewoodAlive.