Bring on the elves!


  • November 13, 2013
  • /   Staff Reports
  • /   community-dashboard
Hundreds of children dressed as elves will help Santa Claus celebrate the true Christmas spirit in downtown Pensacola on Nov. 29.

The annual Elf Parade is a child-sized celebration that will cover several blocks and include the magic of snow falling as Christmas trees glow and carols fill the evening air.

winterfest-santa-elves

The celebration is brought to you by Pensacola Winterfest, a nonprofit organization that operates the Christmas holiday festival, which includes tours, street theater and other events.

The Elf Parade, aimed at children ages 2 to 7, features both a traditional Santa Claus and a Cajun Santa Claus.

It includes contests for elves who are “best dressed” or who have “the biggest ears” or the best decorated stroller. An estimated 3,000 people turned out for last year’s Elf Parade.

The events begin with a Snow Princess and Snow Prince tea at 3 p.m. at the Portabello Restaurant inside Pensacola Little Theatre; admission is $25 and includes a parent and child. Details: Call (850) 417-7321

Judging for the contests is at 3:45 p.m.

The parade, which is free and open to the public, starts at 4:30 p.m. The route takes about 30 minutes; parents are welcome to accompany their children.

Among the highlights: The Winterfest Brass Band, featuring musicians dressed in alligator outfits as they play Christmas carols with New Orleans flair.

The Parade Marshall will be Mollye Barrows, news anchor at WEAR-TV.

At the parade’s conclusion, brief ceremonies are planned at the Escambia County Courthouse at Government and Palafox streets. Then the Christmas lights will glow and snow will fall.

At 6 p.m., you can see “The Polar Express,” a wonderful Christmas movie to be shown at the historic Saenger Theatre. The computer-animated fantasy film tells the story of a doubting boy who boards a magical train bound for the North Pole and Santa Claus’s home. Admission is $5.

Winterfest also offers trolley tours of Christmas attractions on a two-mile route.

The tours begin at 6 p.m. Details: www.pensacolawinterfest.org.

The Winterfest Performance Tour, which features numerous actors and musicians, costs $21.50 ($14.50 for children 10 and under) and will operate Nov. 29 and Dec. 7, 13, 20, 21 and 22. The Santa Holiday Express, which costs $10 ($5 for children), will operate Dec. 1, 17, 18, 19, 23 and 24. Children under 2 are admitted free.

Both tours include the Cratchit Family, ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, the Cat in the Hat, the Griswold Family and other holiday favorites.

Details: Call (850) 417-7321 or visit www.pensacolawinterfest.org.
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