The Victorian Sleighbell Parade is at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3.

Presented by West Shore Bank

Parade Information

The Victorian Sleighbell Parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 3 down River Street in downtown Manistee. 

Crews will start setting up the parade route and road closures around 9 a.m. So please plan accordingly. Roads will be closed to all motorized traffic by 4:30 p.m. 

If you are a guest staying in a downtown hotel or a downtown resident or shop owner, please make sure you have a vehicle parking permit and are in your parking spots before 4:30 p.m. Absolutely no cars will be allowed on the parade route after that time. 

The Victorian Sleighbell Parade down historic River Street is one of Michigan’s most memorable holiday traditions. This authentic parade features horse drawn carriages, turn of the century characters, 30-foot Christmas tree pulled upright by a beautiful horse team, bagpipers and much more. The parade concludes downtown’s west end near the fountain with community caroling and lighting of the tree.

Sponsored by: West Shore Bank

Sleighbell Fireworks immediately following the Victorian Sleighbell Parade
Sponsored by: Jeff Reau Edward Jones

 

 

LINEUP

Please note: The parade order may change due to last-minute additions or withdrawals due to weather or availability changes.

  1. Girl Scouts Flag Detail

  2. Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend presenting Sponsor: West Shore Bank (Banner)

  3. Muskegon Regional Police Pipe & Drums Corps: Wearing the “Hume” Tartan honoring Thomas Hume, an early Muskegon founder.
  4. St. Nicholas: Common gentry carriage
  5. West Shore Bank (Fantail Wagon)
    Founded in 1898, West Shore Bank is the oldest area financial institution and the presenting sponsor of this year’s Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend.
  6. Parade Grand Marshal: John Kaser (Former Manistee Business Owner / longtime parade volunteer)
  7. Miss Michigan Melissa Beyrand: Hailing from Milford, Mich., Miss Michigan is a University of Michigan College of Engineering graduate student and a violinist.
  8. “Super Scooper” Team No. 1 from the Pierport Pony Club volunteers

  9. Victorian Ambassadors: These community volunteers celebrate Manistee’s history.
  10. Manistee Public Library Volunteers: An Andrew Carnegie Library founded in 1905 and a State of Michigan State Historical Site, the Manistee Public Library main Manistee branch is also listed on the National Registry of Historical Buildings. The Manistee County Library was established as a city library and merged in 1972 to become a six-branch public library system serving all of Manistee County.
  11. Spirit of the Woods Garden Club Living Flag: The Spirit of the Woods Garden Club supports and tends gardens throughout the area.
  12. Spirit of the Woods Dancing Christmas Trees: The Spirit of the Woods Garden Club supports area gardening initiatives and education.
  13. Mark Anderson, Big Wheel Biker

  14. Trinity Lutheran School: Shepherds, angels and a Nativity scene
  15. Manistee High School Band: Director: Andrea Mack
  16. East Lake Volunteer Fire and Rescue: First early 1900’s purchase – soda ash cart.
  17. Salt City Rock and Blues: Victorian dress and wagon
  18. Kennedy Elementary School: Fourth- to sixth-graders have been in every Sleighbell Parade.
  19. Elsa and Olaf: “Frozen” comes alive
  20. Michigan Wheelmen: Keeping alive bicycling heritage
  21. Repo’s Rescues: Placing happy animals with loving families
  22. Five Star Real Estate: Horse drawn wagon
  23. Authentic 231: Wagon by McCarry Clydesdales
  24. Children’s Christmas Tree with Nutcracker Escorts: Manistee Jaycee Assistants
  25. Golden Retriever Club: Owners in Victorian dress and their dogs
  26. Gordie (Dividson) the Organ Grinder: Horse drawn wagon with a German Concertina-Concert street Organs
  27. Marzinski Horse Camp Riders on Horseback
  28. Coldwell Banker: Horse and Carriage
  29. Pierport Ponies: Ponies and Riders
  30. “Super Scooper” Team No. 2 from the Pierport Pony Club volunteers
  31. Little Manistee Watershed Council: Protecting 145,200 acres of area wetlands since 1996
  32. Brethren High School and Manistee Catholic Central Marching Bands
  33. Manistee Catholic Central School
  34. Fireman Fred (retired) and Sue LaPoint with Blaze (Engineer and paramedic with City of Manistee for 40 years)
  35. Nutcracker Salute: Manned by Manistee High School Football Team
  36. Santa Claus: Horse and wagon
  37. Clare County Sheriff’s Department Mounted Unit: Volunteer unit provides crowd control at events through Northern Michigan
  38. Victorian Sleighbell Parade and Old Christmas Weekend Christmas tree: This 30-foot-tall tree is pulled by Ben Reed and Draft Horse Team.
  39. “Super Scooper” Team No. 3 from the Pierport Pony Club Volunteers

Everyone is invited to follow the tree down River Street for the lighting of the tree, caroling and fireworks to conclude the evening.

 

The Victorian Sleighbell Parade down historic River Street is one of Michigan’s most memorable holiday traditions. This authentic parade features horse drawn carriages, turn of the century characters, 30-foot Christmas tree pulled upright by a beautiful horse team, bagpipers and much more. The parade concludes downtown’s west end near the fountain with community caroling and lighting of the tree.
Sponsored by: West Shore Bank

Sleighbell Fireworks immediately following the Victorian Sleighbell Parade
Sponsored by: Jeff Reau Edward Jones