Lake Orion is home to one of the only nighttime holiday lighted parades in Michigan. In fact, it’s the second largest lighted holiday parade in the nation!! The event—sponsored, planned and coordinated by the Orion Area Parade Group (OAPG) — takes place starting at dusk, the first Saturday of December.
This year, with the effects of COVID still wreaking havoc on large gatherings, the OAPG is trying a different approach to keep our annual tradition alive. Our first-ever Drive-Thru parade will take place on Saturday, December 5th at 6 pm in Downtown Lake Orion.
This year, instead of our myriad of floats parading up Front Street to Broadway and through downtown, our participating entrants—draped in the customary holiday lighting—will be stationed along Broadway. Spectators will drive by each display to get their dose of Christmas cheer. No Orion Lighted Christmas Parade would be complete without the appearance of Santa and Mrs. Claus to usher in the holiday season. Expect to see the red couple in full force again this year!
With our fun theme of “Christmas in Toyland”, we encourage participants and downtown businesses to light up the night and
celebrate the season using their favorite vintage or new toys to depict the holiday spirit. Participating groups can download our Entry Form on our website. No entry fee will be assessed this year. Floats will be positioned several feet away from each other, all COVID-compliant social-distancing guidelines will be enforced, and Lake Orion Police will control the flow of traffic along the route. Downtown businesses are encouraged to stay open to welcome spectators and to offer specials to shoppers ready to start their holiday purchasing.
Since there are still costs associated with the Parade Group’s efforts and sponsorship opportunities are limited this year, a GoFundMe account has been set to help raise funds to offset costs. The account can be found at gofundme.com/f/orion-area-lighted-parade. The Orion Lighted Christmas Parade has been a Lake Orion tradition for over 20 years and has the distinction of being one of the largest lighted Christmas parades in Michigan. The OAPG is staffed by volunteers and counts on
the support of the community to bring this event to town each year. For more information about the Orion Area Parade Group, and to sign up for our email newsletter, visit orionlightedparade.org. Follow us at facebook.com/OrionLightedParade for updates about the Drive-Thru Parade plans.