Auburn staff outline parade logistics and holiday traditions; Veterans Day parade highlighted as year-round tribute

Mayor Nancy Backus and Kristi Pichars discussed Auburn’s signature parades and holiday programming during an interview on That’s So Auburn.

“a little bit of rain is such a small price to pay to say thank you to the veterans who certainly went through worse than some raindrops to protect our freedoms,” Backus said while describing why she prefers to walk in the Veterans Day parade rather than ride.

Pichars described the Veterans Day parade as a tightly regimented event that takes years to perfect. She told the host she uses checklists and post-event debriefs to place entries and refine logistics and that “it's taken me 19 years to figure it out.” Backus and Pichars said the parade draws deep crowds regardless of weather and that community groups such as the Lions Club and local dealerships donate vehicles and volunteer support.

For the holiday season, Pichars said work is already under way for the Lighted Santa parade scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6, and that “all the forms are updated, and we've got our band, almost secured.” She identified the recurring band as the Christmas Crooners and described plans for a tree-lighting at City Hall and a child nomination to flip the switch.

Staff emphasized that both parades are community traditions that organizers treat as part of year-round programming to support veterans and families.