Milwaukee Holiday Parade May Be Dead: Report

MILWAUKEE, WI — The Milwaukee Holiday parade made its debut in 1927, however the longtime seasonal fixture may not stage a parade this year - or ever - if a sponsor doesn't step up.

According to a WISN 12 report, the DeGrace Family, who's supported the parade for the last 66 years, said publicly that a "perfect storm" of dwindling finances, vendor changes and road construction have made the parade no longer feasible.

The DeGrace family announced that they're retiring from parade duties this year.

“The parade has been a part of my family since my father took it over in 1953, and the decision to retire both our work and the parade was extremely difficult for me and my family. We did not make this choice lightly,” said parade producer Suzanne DeGrace Spaeth in a Milwaukee Biz Times report.

The parade had long been known for wending its way through Downtown Milwaukee, and featured approximately 100 entries, including marching bands, floats, giant helium balloons, local celebrities, costumed characters, live animals, specialty vehicles and Santa Claus.

The Bon-Ton Stores Inc. was a major sponsor of the parade over the last several years, helping to run the parade which takes about $150,000 a year to run. Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. filed for bankruptcy and is liquidating.

"This decision is both heartbreaking and bittersweet for my family," Suzanne DeGrace Spaeth said in the report. The parade has traditionally been held on the last Saturday before Thanksgiving.

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