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

12/20/16   9:53 AM