The Sapulpa Chamber of Commerce’s annual Parade of Lights is coming up on Saturday evening and they, along with the City of Sapulpa and Sapulpa Police Department, want the public to know how to prepare for the temporary traffic disruptions as a part of the parade.
The parade is one of two events happening on Saturday, December 16th that may hinder traffic, according to a statement from Sapulpa Police. The first is the Jingle Bells drawing at 1:00 p.m., which will occur at the Creek County Courthouse parking lot. “This event should be over around 2:30 p.m. and cause minimal disruption to traffic flow,” the statement said.
The parade will follow the same route it has for years, beginning on Taft and traveling east down Taft Avenue before turning north on Main Street. Like it did last year, the parade will go right down the middle of the Route 66 Christmas Chute when it turns east on Dewey Avenue before ending at the High School just off Mission Street.
Police and the City of Sapulpa are urging caution for the families that will attend the parade, which has grown even larger since the introduction of the Christmas Chute last year. The goal, they say, is to have a safe and exciting evening with friends and family. “Please be respectful and use caution when traveling during these time frames and events as increased pedestrian traffic is guaranteed. Stay Safe and Enjoy the Holidays.”
A map of the parade is included below.
What streets will be closed and at what time?
The Annual Christmas Parade will start at 6:00 p.m. with setup prior to this time. South Hickory Street from Taft Avenue to Mary Lynn Street will be closed for parade participants ONLY from 4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and closed to general traffic.
The parade route on Taft Avenue from Main Street to Independence Street will close at 5:15 p.m. for parade participants to line up. The entire parade route will close to ALL vehicle traffic at 5:30 p.m. The parade will promptly start at 6:00 p.m. and closed cross streets along the parade route will be re-opened after the parade has passed each location. The only cross streets open on Main Street prior to the route being shut down will be Lee Street and Bryan Street. Anticipate the parade to last approximately 1.5 to 2 hours. The alternate route of travel across town during the parade will be on Hobson Street and Line Street.
What streets should be used for traffic?
Given that Taft and Dewey will both be closed for the parade, police are urging drivers to use Line Street and Hobson Avenue for those who need to get from the east end of town to the west end until after the parade is over.
How will the parade affect the Christmas Chute?
Though the parade will be making its way down Route 66 and through the middle of the Christmas Chute, the Route 66 Christmas Chute Committee says the pop-up shops will be closed at about 6:15pm until after the parade is over.
