There will be a new staging area for the City of Shelbyville’s downtown holiday parade Friday night but there will not be a different route.

Due to construction behind the Shelby County Tourism and Visitors Bureau building where the parade normally leaves from, the Knauf parking lot along Walker St. will serve as the staging point for the 2023 parade.

The parade will follow the same Harrison St. route into the downtown Public Square Friday, beginning at 7 p.m., and then exit on West Washington St. where it will continue until Tompkins St.

The highlight of the parade is the return of Santa Claus to Shelbyville. He will join Mayor Tom DeBaun to assist with the lighting of downtown Shelbyville for the holiday season.

The Public Square will be closed at 3 p.m. Friday to allow vendors to set up for the Mistletoe Market which opens to the public at 5 p.m.

“It will be staged like a farmer’s market winter market,” said Mainstreet Shelbyville event coordinator Jenna Martin Tuesday morning during an appearance on GIANT fm radio. “It will be staged on East Washington St. between Harrison St. and the Just Peachy Café. Vendors will be on both sides of the street.”

The market also includes a ferris wheel on East Washington St. and horse and carriage rides around the downtown area.

“It’s the perfect holiday event,” said Martin.

There is no admission fee. The city will have a free cookie decorating station and hot chocolate available and TNT Exotics will have an animal encounter area with an arctic fox.

The carriage ride and ferris wheel has a $5 cash-only admission fee.

Santa’s house also will be set up downtown so he can visit with children after the parade and at various dates through the holiday season. The house has been renovated by the staff at the Shelbyville Water Resource Recovery Facility and will resemble more of a log cabin, according to DeBaun.

There is rain in the Friday forecast. The city will not cancel the parade and activities unless the weather forecast becomes dangerous.

“We’ve had this in all kinds of weather,” said DeBaun. “Unless the weather turns hazardous, it will go on as planned.”

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