On the weekend of Thanksgiving break, the annual Deck the Falls parade was held. Young, bright eyed children filled the streets waiting to get a glimpse of some of their favorite Christmas characters, which included the likes of Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, and even some characters from the movie “Frozen”. Going into this event I didn’t know what to expect, as it was my first time attending, yet I was pleasantly surprised by just how enjoyable the event really was.

I chose a spot in front of Althoff Hardware to stand and watch, waiting eagerly alongside the hundreds of people that filled the sidewalks of Cannon Falls. Upon the sight of the first float the crowd let out a jolly cheer, filling the streets with the excitement and joy of the Christmas season. The brilliant lights on the floats kept many of the children mesmerized (until the sight of Santa Claus snapped them from their trance). Other notable characters included Elsa and Anna from the movie “Frozen”, which many young children enjoyed. For me though, the best float was the “Polar Express”, as that was one of my favorite Christmas movies growing up, and it brought back many nostalgic feelings. When asked what her favorite float was, Hannah Singewald, a Junior, stated, “The Polar Express one, because the little kids were cute.”. She also stated, “Even though they didn’t have hot chocolate like they normally do, it was still fun.”

Once the parade had concluded, the crowd of people headed toward the gazebo beside the city parking lot for hot apple cider that was served out of a massive pot that had been heated over a real fire. The eager crowd waited in line for their cup of the sweet cider, all while trying to contain the children, who were filled with excitement while waiting for the tree to be lit. Once everyone was served, the countdown for the lighting of the tree commenced. Excitement and anticipation filled the crowd, and sadly once the tree was lit the excitement came to a stop. For most people the lights weren’t as spectacular as they had been in previous years. Nonetheless, the lighting of the tree still signaled the start of the holiday season for many in the crowd.

The crowd still lingered for awhile after the conclusion of the annual Deck the Falls event, with many finding old friends among the crowd of people. Events like this shows how close communities like ours are, and it really makes the holiday season feel that much more special. Hopefully next year’s event can live up to the hype, but until then, happy holidays to all.