Santa Claus waves to the crowd at the tail end of Centreville’s Hometown Christmas holiday parade Saturday, Dec. 7.
By Robert Tomlinson
News Director
CONSTANTINE — The holiday season was in full swing last weekend in two local communities, with a pair of celebrations taking place on the same evening.
Constantine and Centreville held their annual holiday celebrations on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 7, as Constantine held its annual Christmas Village and Lighted Parade, while Centreville held its annual Hometown Christmas event.
In Constantine, festivities happened in both Shelby Park and the downtown block of the village. The park’s activities included free kettle corn, cookie decorating, a hot cocoa bar courtesy of Porter Baptist Church, and a Christmas tree lighting with Santa Claus and Village Manager Mark Honeysett.
Later on that evening, residents and visitors gathered in the downtown block on Washington Street to sing Christmas carols and watch the lighted parade, featuring vehicles and floats all lit up with lights and holiday imagery.
“It’s traditionally on the first weekend of December, and we like to kick off the community coming together,” Constantine Downtown Development Authority Director Diana Lammott said. “It’s a lot of fun, and it’s great to see everyone come out.”
For the first time, the lighted parade in Constantine had a grand marshal. Richard “Dick” Larrance, a village councilman, was named as the grand marshal just before the parade started in a small ceremony during the caroling portion of the evening. The 90-year-old was given a crown, robe and scepter by Lammott, and rode at the front of the parade in the back of a golf cart.
Lammott said Larrance was the best choice to be the first-ever grand marshal of their holiday parade.
“He’s been on the council, he’s been a crossing guard, he’s a police liaison, he’s done so much for our community,” Lammott said.
Honeysett, in a proclamation of Larrance being the grand marshal, said he couldn’t think of anyone else more deserving for the honor.
“Hopefully this will begin a tradition and we’ll have a grand marshal every year, but Richard is definitely the best choice for the first one,” Honeysett said.
Over in Centreville, later that evening, the village held its lighted parade as part of its third annual Hometown Christmas celebration. While it had a few more entrants than Constantine’s parade, the concept was still the same: Multiple vehicles, including tractors, snowplows, and floats, decked out with holiday lights and imagery, culminating with an appearance by Santa Claus at the end of the parade.
Prior to the parade in Centreville, there were a multitude of activities that eventgoers could partake in. There was a wreath competition and Bingo at the village hall, arts and crafts at the old Klesner Hotel, a Bulldog Christmas Card Lane at Centreville Public Schools, a Santa House where kids can talk to Santa and get pictures with him, caroling, carriage rides, hay rides, cookie decorating, and a Christmas tree lighting that kicked off the evening.
In addition, vendors and businesses from the local area were set up in multiple spots, including at the Klesner Hotel and the St. Joseph County Association of Realtors. Kids who visited the booths with their family could get stamps from each of the booths, and those who collected all the stamps would be eligible to win prizes.
Michelle Thibideau, Centreville Village Clerk and member of the Hometown Christmas committee, said turnout was great for the event, and the weather, while windy, held out nicely as a whole.
“It probably wasn’t as warm as they said, but it was better,” Thibideau said. “I think this might be our biggest year yet.”
While she said it was “a lot of work” to put the event together, Thibideau said it was all worth it in the end.
“It’s fun; we have a great committee and everybody participates,” Thibideau said. “One thing this does is it gets families out in the community, everybody sees what businesses Centreville has to offer. Plus, it gives you time to be with new family, meet family, or keep up with your friends. It’s a lot of fun.”
Both events were free for the public to attend.
Robert Tomlinson can be reached at 279-7488 or robert@wilcoxnewspapers.com.
