Umatilla Christmas Parade, Festival Coming Saturday

    Umatilla’s Biggest Day of the year arrives this Saturday, December 11, when the annual Cracker Christmas Celebration returns for a full day of community Christmas celebrations. Organized by the Umatilla Chamber of Commerce with the support of the City of Umatilla and a host of partners, the event will bring the largest crowd of the year to the community.
    The morning fun starts early, with a 9 a.m. Dog Jog up the northbound lanes of SR 19. The lanes will be closed for much of the morning for parade activities, and the public is invited to bring their vaccinated pooches to the Mebane Street intersection by 8:30 a.m. to join the fun, as prizes will be awarded.
    At 9:30 a.m., the annual Christmas street parade will begin, running from the Southside Ball Park north to Bulldog Lane. Certain walking groups will join at Mebane Street, so right downtown is the best place to see the entire parade, which will again feature dozens of entries from businesses, non profit organizations, churches, school bands, and more.
    After the parade, the fun continues just a block east of the parade in downtown, where an arts and crafts show will convene for the rest of the day. Live entertainment from Dee’s Dolls twirlers and Asa Sellers are on the schedule, as are a host of youth activities, including inflatable fun, art activities, and more.
    A full schedule for the event, including a preliminary vendor list and parade lineup, can be found in a special promotional section inside this week’s paper.