T
he very fi rst downtown Pensacola Christmas
Parade was in December 1982. It was organized
by the Pensacola Jaycees featuring 11 entries
and no bands. In 1988 the Jaycees didn’t have
the manpower to organize the event, so the city created
Pensacola Christmas Projects, Inc. to take over the event.
Their primary goal as a non-profi t organization was to host
a family oriented Christmas parade in downtown Pensacola
for the Metropolitan area.
Cox Communications is now the main sponsor of the
annual parade, followed by other sponsors such as Baptist
Health Care, Ballinger Publishing and Wind Creek Casino.
The parade has grown to feature over 90 entries, draws
upwards of 50,000 people and showcases the six local high
school marching bands, as well as bands from New Orleans
and Mississippi. Pensacola’s own Blue Angels Flight team
is showcased and even jolly old Santa Claus stops by on his
North Pole fl oat!
Parade entries are judged by Best School Division, Best
Church Division, Best Business Division, Dancing Teams
and Open Division. The judges usually include a military
offi cial, school offi cial and a member of the media; this year
judges were Dan Shanhutz, Malcom Thomas and Karleen
Hemming Roll. The profi ts from this parade fund the area
high school’s band booster organizations; over $25,000 has
been donated to date.
VIP Pensacola at Plaza de Luna
Front: Katie Coutinho & Taylor Spencer Back: Edison & Kebs Coutinho, Laura Lyse
photos and story by
Kristina Wright
Cathy Saunders, Dan & Heather Harriott, Channa Tastsides
Regina Neal & Jozlynn Schreiber
44 | VIPPensacola.com
Anthony Enriquez, Nancy Boyer & Alex Sandoval
Bailey Johnson & Lauren McKinnon
44-45 Event Pensacola Christmas Parade.indd 1
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