Royal Oak Ready for Annual Holiday Magic Parade

Santa and Mrs. Claus, shown here in the 2o14 Holiday Magic Park parade, will pose for pictures with children on Sunday. (Photo via city of Royal Oak Facebook page)

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Royal Oak’s annual holiday parade is a swell thing.

Literally.

Holiday revelers will swell the city’s population by about a third at the annual Holiday Magic Park parade and celebration Sunday, an annual tradition now in its 14th year.

“Depending on how the weather is, we usually get 15,000 to 20,000 people,” Stephanie McIntyre, spokeswoman for the city Downtown Development Authority, told The Daily Tribune. “One of the main things people always look forward to is the floats.”

The more than 80-unit parade, which begins at 2 p.m. kicks off the holiday season in Royal Oak. The parade moves north along Washington Boulevard from Lincoln to Fourth Street, then turns west to end at Lafayette.

Expect to see circus performers, marching bands, unicyclists and dance troupes among the procession of floats from the Parade Company. Jay Towers from WJBK-TV and 100.3 WNIC returns as the grand marshal of the parade.

All along the parade route and at the main stage following the parade, volunteers will be collecting unwrapped gifts to be given to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Oakland and Macomb Counties for its Holiday Basket Program, which serves nearly 1,000 people during the holiday season.

Especially needed are gifts for children age 10 and older.

If you can’t attend the parade, but want to give, drop the gifts by the Boys & Girls Club, 1545 E. Lincoln, in Royal Oak.

The annual Santa Scamper fun run takes place before the parade at 1:30 p.m., and after the parade, Santa and Mrs. Claus will pose for pictures of children at Skyward Real Estate, 519 S. Washington.