Tag Archives: Christmas parade

Lighted Parade in Siouxland, Sioux City

28 Nov

Every year most communities have their own Lighted Parade to kick off the Christmas holiday season. Some start a little earlier than others, but work to help its residents to enjoy the coming days that are festive and mostly filled with good cheer. And people attending the parade as well as parade goers get into the holiday spirit themselves.

A woman wears her “antler ears” for he Christmas season kick off at the Lighted Parade in Sioux City, Iowa Saturday Nov. 20, 2017. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga)

Children spread the Christmas cheer as the season kicks off with the Lighted Parade in Sioux City, Iowa Saturday Nov. 20, 2017. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga)

And these communities also have areas with decorated Christmas trees done so by various organizations or individuals and then auctioned off to raise money for a local nonprofit.

People view the decorated Christmas trees inside the Ho Chunk Building on view before the Lighted Parade in Sioux City, Iowa Monday Nov. 20, 2017. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga)

People view the decorated Christmas trees inside the Ho Chunk Building on view before the Lighted Parade in Sioux City, Iowa Monday Nov. 20, 2017. (Photo by Jerry L Mennenga)

The events just brighten and heighten the anticipation of Dec. 25 when for some Santa arrives bearing gifts for the “good” kids and others for the celebration of the birth of Christ and his message of redemption and the possibility of Peace on Earth, even if only for a few hours.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

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Celebrating Christmas with a Lighted Parade in Siouxland, Le Mars

1 Jan

I made time this year again to visit Le Mars, Iowa, and see its Sertoma Lighted Christmas Parade which is always nice event in Siouxland. It was also nice this year that the temperature was above freezing and while still cold, was not, well, freezing. Many of the same lighted floats were in this year’s parade as last, but coming down the main street through the downtown area they stood out and made the children look on in awe. Kind of like watching fireworks if one listed to the wee ones’ exclamations. And so, another year has passed, but in doing so, repeats the joys of the season and readies one for the coming year and to look forward in anticipation of what photographic possibilities await.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

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Christmas holiday in Siouxland, Sioux City

24 Nov

The Christmas holiday is beginning in the Siouxland area. Various places are having a celebration before the Jolly Old Elf visits, some even before Thanksgiving. I like the Christmas season. It’s full of joy and wonderful smells (think food) and sites (think decorations) and even, snow. Yes, the white stuff. With warm enough temps and lots of it, it is hard to resist being outside.

I guess what I really enjoy about Christmas, besides the Biblical exaltation and many church programs, is its quaintness. At least what I perceive. The U.S. travel writer/tour guide Rick Steves produced a few years back a video showing various Christmas celebrations in various European cities and countries. The visits were very quaint and I believe the essence of Christmas celebrations.

The City of Sioux City held its lighted Christmas parade recently. And a fairly nice size crowd turned out to see it. Lighted parades can be good or mediocre. If the parade float is well lit and easy to see, it’s a delight and people enjoy it.  But if there are only a few strings of light tossed about an entry it leaves a bit to a person’s imagination. Also, the city did not have some street lamps turned on lighting the street like it usually does. and without the streets lights, yes, it made it easier to see some of the floats that were lit, but for others, it was difficult. It just seemed odd.

For shooting photos, I was pushing my ISO to 3200 and shooting slow shutter speeds and a bit wide open. Sometimes using a little faster shutter speed, and not using flash. I talked with a couple who brought their children and asked them about the parade, and they seemed disappointed. They felt the parade was a little sad and it seemed to take forever. Maybe with too few floats, no one wanted the parade to end too soon and for Santa’s visit to be drawn out.

I have attended other local lighted Christmas parades, such as Le Mars, Iowa, and it seems full of life and alive. Curious how the same holiday can some times be interpreted in different ways.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

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Siouxland celebrates the Christmas season, Le Mars

1 Dec

Over the next few weeks various Siouxland communities and organizations will be celebrating the Christmas holiday. Some with parades, others with events, all marking this year’s Christmas celebration. This week the community of Le Mars, Iowa, will host its annual Le Mars Sertoma Lighted Christmas parade and its Pioneer Village at the Plymouth County Fairgrounds. Its December, and its always chilly, and sometimes downright cold, but the parade celebrates its community and the holiday season, oft times with more than one Santa making an appearance. And the trip to the Pioneer Village is just fun.

Jerry Mennenga

Sioux City, Iowa

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