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NATCHEZ — A time-honored Natchez Christmas tradition continues this Saturday, Dec. 23, as Santa Claus rides in a parade, Rudolph position, to deliver candy to Natchez neighborhoods.

This unique Natchez parade of Santa Claus Committee members traditionally occurs every Christmas Eve except for when Christmas falls on a Monday like it does this year. The parade never happens on a Sunday.

The most important stop of the parade is the old Braden School, where Santa comes to see and deliver toys to hundreds of needy children throughout the community.

These children are pre-approved to get their Christmas presents early. But don’t worry.

Anyone can see Santa when he makes his way around town.

Below is the planned schedule and route for the parade on Saturday, Dec. 23.

 

PARADE ROUTE

7:30 a.m., Meet at the Grand Hotel, 111 Broadway Street

8:00 a.m., Leave the Grand Hotel to pick up Santa – Broadway Street to State Street, right on Rankin Street, right on Washington Street, right on South Union Street.

8:15 a.m., Pick up Santa Claus

8:25 a.m., Leave with Santa and the entourage begins. South Union to George F. West Blvd., left on Martin Luther King Jr. Street to right on Pilgrim Blvd., left on Devereux Dr to Morgantown Road.

OAKLAND SUBDIVISION

Right and bear left on Oakland to loop back to Morgantown Road and right to Second Street.

BROOKLYN SUBDIVISION

Left on Second Street at Morgantown Baptist Church through the stop sign to Brooklyn Drive, left on Brooklyn to Magnolia Avenue, then right on Magnolia to Brookfield Drive.

BROOKFIELD SUBDIVISION

On Brookfield take the first right on Horseshoe Drive, loop back to Brookfield, right to Morgantown Road, right to Highway 61 South to Devereux Drive, and turn right on Linda Lee Drive.

HOLIDAY APARTMENTS

Turn right on Old Washington Road, loop back to Old Washington Road, right on Old Washington Road to Triumph Lane.

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, CAMBRIDGE HEIGHTS

Turn right on Triumph Lane to Dumas Drive and loop back to Triumph Lane, right on Pilgrim Blvd to Martin Luther King, left on Martin Luther King to Monroe Street, right on Monroe Street then turn left on N. Commerce Street, then arrive at first stop.

9:50 a.m., From N. Commerce Street, turn left on State Street, straight to John. Quitman Blvd. to Liberty Road, then left onto Old Pond Road.

OAKHURST SUBDIVISION

From Old Pond turn left on Oakhurst Drive, loop around to right on Old Pond Road, then left on Liberty Road.

EASTBROOK SUBDIVISION / WESTOVER SUBDIVISION

From Liberty Road, turn right on Margaret Ave and stay straight on Margaret Ave, loop around to left on Lindberg Ave. to right on Earhart, left on John Glenn Ave., right on Eastbrook

FATHERLAND SUBDIVISION / MONTEBELLO SUBDIVISION

Left on South Shields Lane to left on Ridgewood Road, loop around to right on Englewood Road to left on Westwood, cross over Sherwood then left on Maplewood Lane to right on Eastwood, left on Creek Bend Road to right on Arrowhead Drive, right on Melrose­ Montebello Drive across Sgt. Prentiss Drive onto Melrose Montebello Parkway to Melrose left on John A Quitman to Main Street, left on South Commerce, left on Harrison Street to South Union, the second stop.

11:15 a.m., Arrive at Braden School for Children’s Christmas Tree program inside the Braden School Auditorium. Parade members break for lunch and meet up again on Broadway Street.

1:15 p.m., From Broadway, turn right onto Franklin Street, right onto Canal Street, right on Main Street to Silver Street, right to Canal Street, right to John R. Junkin Drive.

DUNKERRON SUBDIVISION

From John R. Junkin, turn right on Lower Woodville Road, left on Briarwood, left onto Tanglewood, right onto Rollingwood, then back to left on Briarwood, then left on Highland Blvd.

HIGHLAND SUBDIVISION

From Highland Blvd. turn right on Pecan Way, turn left on Woodville Drive across Highland, left on MacGregor Way, right on Pecan Way, right on Stahlman Street, exit to access road, right on Sgt Prentiss, left on Jeff Davis Blvd.

FATHERLAND SUBDIVISION / MONTEBELLO SUBDIVISION

From Jeff Davis Blvd., turn right onto South Meadow to Forest Drive, left on Forest to S. Temple, left on S. Temple to Jeff Davis, straight onto North Temple, left on North Meadow, left on Jeff Davis, left on Mansfield, left on Melrose ­Montebello to Junkin Street, left on St. Catherine St., right on Brenham Ave., left on Minor Street, right on Martin Luther King, right onto Gayosa Street, arrive at third stop (2:10 p.m.).

ROSELAWN SUBDIVISION

From Concord, right on Devereux Drive to left on Junkin Street, straight on Melrose, left on Roselawn, left Marquette Ave, left on Itasca Drive, cross over Roselawn Drive to Miller Ave., straight to Wood Avenue, right on to Sgt. S. Prentiss Dr. to 61 South to Old Prentiss Hwy.

THE TREES SUBDIVISION

Turn left onto Old Prentiss Highway, right on Live Oak, left on Pecanwood, loop around to left on Live Oak, left on U.S. 61 South to left on Hurricane Road.

THE HILLS SUBDIVISION

From Hurricane Road, turn left on Ridgeway, right on Laurel Hill, right on Dunbarton Drive to South Hampton Road, and right on U.S. 61 South to Colony Drive. Arrive at final stop (3:10 p.m.).