By Kim McDarison
Enthusiastic parade-goers lined Whitewater’s Main Street Friday as some 26 parade entries of various shapes and sizes participated in the Generac-sponsored Lighted Holiday Parade.
The event was organized by Downtown Whitewater, Inc., a volunteer-driven nonprofit organization formed to promote Whitewater’s history and traditions, according to its website.
Attendees and participants were greeting with moderate temperatures, and a warming station was made available outside of the Discover Whitewater office on Main Street, complete with s’mores and hot cocoa.
Other activities Friday included an opportunity to meet “Santa and Mrs. Claus,” both of whom were made available for picture-taking inside First Citizens State Bank. The couple also rode, albeit in separate Whitewater EMS vehicles, in the parade. Placing each member of the Christmas couple in a separate vehicle allowed for an individualized presence, Mrs. Claus, said.
A list of parade entries includes: Badgerland Offroad, Whitewater Girl Scout Troop 7639, Fort Atkinson Credit Union, Productive Living Systems, Whitewater Grocery Company, Ferradermis, Generac, Carting K-9s, Walworth County Chapter of the Ice Age Trail, Republican Party of Walworth County, Hispanic Outreach Coalition, CHC Christian Horse Lovers, PremierBank, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Royal Purple News, Lima 4-H, City of Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department, Visiting Angels, Whitewater Scout Troop, BaristaCats Cafe, The Boat House of Whitewater, Whitewater Charge Club, Visiting Angels LAS, Whitewater High School band, Avant Cycle Cafe, Johns Disposal Service, and the Walworth County Fairest of the Fair.
A cookie-decorating and chili dinner event was held at the Living Word Fellowship Church, also on Main Street, after the parade.
Photos from the event follow.
Kim McDarison photos.
Festively costumed marchers participate in the parade.
A pony and handler participate in the parade as members of the Christian Horse Lovers Club No. 18.
Riding on their float, members of the Whitewater Charge baseball club greet parade-goers.
A Nativity scene lights the way as it travels along Main Street.
A festooned three-wheeler moves along Main Street.
Fort Atkinson resident, dog trainer, and Carting K-9s member Rose Mansavage, and her companion, “Duke,” parade along Main Street.
An inflatable Santa lights the way as he moves through the intersection of Main and Whitewater streets.
Assembled behind their banner, members of the Royal Purple, the student-run newspaper serving the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater campus and community wave to the crowd.
The PremierBank mascot and its helper travel along Main Street.
A float, entered into the parade by Phantom Creek Farm, features Santa on a tractor.
Marching with the group from Lima 4-H is this happy snow-woman.
A decked-out ATV and its occupants share holiday cheer.
Walworth County 2022 Fairest of the Fair Jessica Markham waves to the crowd.
Members of Lima 4-H arrive at the intersection of Main and Whitewater streets.
One of several cart-pulling pups makes its way down Main Street. The dogs, seven in all, were entered into the parade by Sylvie and Dave Dahert. The couple is from Hebron, and are the founders of Carting K-9s, a group, which Sylvie described as “just for fun.” The group builds carts and teaches dogs to pull them. They enjoy appearing in parades, several of the group’s members said. To learn more about the group, visit its Facebook page.
Representing Ferradermis Team No. 6574, a marcher greets the crowd and distributes candy. The team is comprised of Whitewater High School students.
A vehicle covered in children’s art is part of an entry made by Whitewater Girl Scout Troop 7639.
A member of Whitewater Girl Scout Troop 7639 waves to the crowd.
A Fort Community Credit Union (FCCU) mascot and its helper ride on the back of the credit union’s float.
A marcher is part of a larger group traveling behind the Generac banner. Generac is the sponsor of the lighted parade.
A man and his pup travel along Main Street.
A family parades in a decorated ride.
Whitewater City Manager John Weidl and company greet the crowd as they move along Main Street.
Included as part of an Ice Age Trail entry, a participant carries a parade pennant.
Members of Carting K-9s, a “formed for fun” group from Hebron, march along Main Street.
Representing Ferradermis, parade participants of all ages distribute candy.
Included among Generac marchers, “Rudolph” struts his stuff.
A glistening line of vehicles moves down Main Street.
Adorned with lights, a motorcycle is on parade.
With every inch of their vehicle decorated, this costumed couple travels down Main.
Generac parade participants march along Main.
Winners of this year’s Miss Whitewater pageant wave to the crowd.
A marcher carries the PremierBank banner.
A variety of giant food decorations adorns an entry made by the Whitewater Grocery Company. The organization is working to bring a coop grocery store to Whitewater.
Whitewater resident Ron Binning carries a Whitewater Grocery Company sign.
A member of the Whitewater Fire Department greets parade-goers from a fire truck.
Mrs. Santa Claus smiles and waves to her fans.
A Whitewater EMS ambulance lights up the parade.
Whitewater High School band students perform as they march along Main Street.
Band students shine through lights and music.
A motorcyclist pulls a cart filled with colorful inflatables.
A snowman figurehead illuminates a boat pulled along Main Street as part of an entry from The Boat House of Lauderdale Lakes.
A float entered by the Whitewater Parks and Recreation Department reminds community members to pick up after their pets.
A float entered by the Cub Scouts is populated by festively dressed children.
Inflatable Christmas characters ride in the parade.
Waving from within a fire department vehicle, Santa greets the crowd.
Marchers carry the Generac banner. The company is the sponsor of the 2022 Holiday Parade of Lights.
Lt. Jake Hintz, with the Whitewater Police Department, drives the squad car that signals the end of the parade.
Following are photos taken before and after the parade.
Capt. Dave Gempler of the Whitewater Police Department ensures activities progress smoothly through the intersection of Main and Whitewater streets.
Lisa Dawsey Smith, a representative of Downtown Whitewater Inc., and Kellie Carper, executive director of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce, greet visitors and enjoy the festive ambience downtown in advance of the parade.
Members of the Kincaid family, Whitewater, Delilah, 6, and Arya, 4, enjoy treats in advance of the parade.
A smaller member of the Carting K-9s who was pulled by a furry companion during the parade, waits with his group to be loaded into the vehicle to make the trip home to Hebron.
The Bauschke family, Whitewater, including children ages 8, 7 and 5, makes s’mores at the warming station situated near the Discover Whitewater office on Main Street.
Dressed in warm clothing, complete with reindeer antlers, Nora and Owen Zimborski, Janesville, await the parade.
“Howard,” an approximately 8-year-old Treeing Walker coonhound, at left, is among dogs pulling carts with the Carting K-9s group. He is available for adoption through Albert’s Dog Lounge, a Whitewater-based nonprofit rescue group which caters to senior dogs and those with special needs. To learn more about adopting Howard, visit: https://www.albertsdoglounge.org.
Members of the Dvorak family, Mason, 13, from left; Mikayla, 15; KinLeigh, 10, who is holding “Annie,” a 4-year-old Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and Micah 13, watch the parade from their vantage point on Main Street.
Carting K-9 pups wait after the parade to be unharnessed from their carts.
Seated near the intersection of Main and Whitewater streets, a parade-goer gathers her Pomeranians to ensure they have a good view of the parade.
Mrs. Santa reflects upon the holiday season after riding in the parade.
Kim McDarison photos.