Granada Hills Holiday Parade Interesting & Fun Filled Facts
The first annual Granada Hills Holiday Parade took place in 1984 and the Grand Marshall was soap opera actress was Jaclyn Zieman of ”General Hospital”
The Granada Hills Holiday Parade Route is 1.8 miles long and is the largest participant and spectator community parade in the San Fernando Valley!
Annual Parade Participation is over Three Thousand Youth Participants including Marching Bands, Drill Teams Civic Groups, Floats, Antique Cars and Equestrian Groups.
Local Granada Hills businessman John Ciccarelli is the Founder of the Granada Hills Holiday Parade and served as Holiday Parade Chairman for a record thirty years from 1984 to 2013.
Over 100,000 youth participants from throughout the San Fernando Valley have marched in the San Fernando Valley highlighting positive youth accomplishments.
A ”commemorative” Granada Hills Holiday Patch is issued each year .
The Granada Hills Chamber of Commerce is the official ” Granada Hills Holiday Parade” organization sponsor.
The Granada Hills Holiday Parade is a ”Rain or Shine” event. It has rained on Parade Day several times in over three decades never deterring a great Holiday Parade .
2002 marked the ”new” tradition of having Mrs. Santa Claus riding in an Antique Fire Truck to ”kick off” the Granada Hills Holiday Parade while Santa himself is the last parade entry to wave to all the good children before his big trip from the North Pole in the later December month.
The impressive range of resident and business person parade committee member volunteer participation on the year long Granada Hills Holiday Parade organization effort is from one to over thirty years with the average committee member tenure serving 18 consecutive years! Former Granada Hills Chamber Manager Della Carroll was a youth participant in the early 80’s and serves on the present day Granada Hills Holiday Parade Committee. Mr Tom Williams has served for a total of 40 plus years including his service on the fore runnner 70’s Granada Hills Community ”Youth in Action” Parade !
.
The Granada Hills Holiday Parade event traditionally falls on the first Sunday in December each year and occasional ”Second December Sunday” tied to later occasional Thanksgiving Weekend Holiday annual calendar
Over 75 trophies and awards are presented to outstanding parade entries at the conclusion of the Granada Hills Holiday Parade including the coveted ”Music Sweepstakes’,” Best Use of Theme Sweepstakes” and ”Youth Sweepstakes” Awards
2013 saw the advent of the new Granada Hills Holiday Parade Web Site www.granadahillsholidayparade.