Santa, reindeer lined up for Mt. Prospect's winter parade

Live reindeer, Santa and Mrs. Claus and festive floats will be greeting those in the holiday spirit in Mount Prospect on Dec. 1.

The village's eighth annual Winter Festival Parade will be stepping off at 5 p.m. at the Maple Street commuter parking lot.

It proceeds down Lincoln Street to Emerson Street to Prospect Avenue, going west to Pine Street, where it ends.

For about an hour, a parade of about 10 floats will be passing by as will the Lincoln Middle School pompom team and various local Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups.

If it's like past years, a few thousand people are expected to watch the parade.

"It's a good community event to get people out," said Maura El Metennani, Mount Prospect's public information officer.

A refreshment tent will be set up at Prospect Avenue and Wille Street.

Free coffee, hot chocolate, cookies and other refreshments will be served after the parade.

Santa and Mrs. Claus will be going to the tent, so kids can tell them what they want for Christmas. Goodies will be handed out to the little ones as well.

Two live reindeer will be off in a holding area for viewing, El Metennani said.

Choral groups will be stationed along the parade route also, she said.

The Mount Prospect Bible Church, Forest View Elementary chorus and Prospect High School female show choir will be singing, she said.

If you're interested in participating, the village is looking for organizations, businesses and singing groups. The deadline to join is Nov. 15.

For more information or to register, call (847) 392-6000 or visit www.mountprosepct.org.