An enormous amount of work and planning goes into an event like the annual Christmas Parade. Following a tradition of more than 84 years, a small group of volunteers work diligently behind the scenes all year long to prepare and execute the annual parade. With no direct funding from any source other than sponsors, parade entries, and vendors, the parade committee creates the most wonderful experience possible for Owensboro and Daviess County residents and do so simply because we feel our beautiful city should pause for a few hours every Saturday before Thanksgiving and come together to prepare ourselves for the wonder of Christmas.

Last evening, the parade committee met to review the plans for this year’s event and after much thought and consideration, we have decide to cancel the 2021 Christmas Parade event. To be transparent, our expenses, of which we must raise every dollar ourselves, have increased some 25-30%, our expected revenue is down some 80+%, the number of volunteers has fallen to just a handful of people who will guarantee their assistance on parade day, and public support has been vocally against the planned event.

The committee would like to publicly thank the various public figures who have always been a part of our parade: Chad and Angel of WBKR, Keith Lawrence of the Messenger-Inquirer, the Owensboro Radio Club, the City of Owensboro, and the Daviess County Fiscal Court. We know this news will be heavy on your hearts as well.

Those that have made parade entries are being contacted by the parade committee to discuss options and to thank them for their support. The committee discussed every option possible but we simply cannot host an event that would not honor the legacy of those that have gone before us.

After the holidays, the parade committee will begin meeting to make plans for the 2022 Owensboro-Daviess County Christmas Parade, with a planned return to our normal format. We hope that everyone will join us when the parade steps off at 4:30 p.m. at the intersection of Second and Pearl in downtown Owensboro on November 19, 2022.