Section B · Page 2
The University Daily Kansan
Thursday, December 3, 1998
Hotel manager turns dream into annual holiday parade
By Patti K. Lyon
Special to the Kansan
Students tired of studying and feeling a little stressed can head downtown Saturday morning and get into the holiday spirit by watching the Eldridge Hotel Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade.
Clydesdale horses will be a star attraction at the annual holiday parade down Massachusetts Street on Saturday, Dec. 5th. The horses are traveling from the Shepard of the Hills farm in Branson, Mo., an outdoor theater and tourist attraction in the Ozarks. Photo by Matt J.
Daugherty/KANSAN
Making a first-time appearance in this year's parade will be the six-horse-drawn Clydesdale hitch from the Shepherd of the Hills, Branson, Mo. The Clydesdales also will make other appearances throughout Missouri and in Omaha, Neb., before heading home to appear in Branson's holiday parade.
Although the parade is in its sixth year, there are many KU students who have never attended. At least one student and her five children try to make it to the parade each year.
"We usually stand toward the end of the parade route. The thing that strikes me is that as far as you can see, there are just so many horses and wagons that you can almost step back in time." Malika Weil, Lawrence graduate student, said.
This year's parade will start at 11 a.m. Saturday at 7th and Massachusetts streets and will continue down Massachusetts Street to South Park.
The parade was the dream of Robert Phillips, general manager of the Eldridge Hotel, and has become an annual holiday event, said Kendra Hatfield, parade organizer.
Phillips' parade idea had its birth in 1983 when he was riding in a covered wagon that was part of a wagon train along the Oregon Trail.
"Someone yelled out at me, "That wagon should have Eldridge Hotel written on the side," Phillips said. "To this day, I do not know who that someone was, but I believe that was the spark which created the brainstorm in my head. 'Let's have a parade.'"
In September 1993, Phillips went to the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau with his idea of having a horse-powered parade with Santa Claus to arrive in a stagecoach.
He had approximately 75 days to put the parade together. He mentioned his plans to his friend, Lloyd Bloom of Cummings, Iowa.
"He said, 'Rob, you have a good idea, and the parade will really turn into something great. People will come from a long way for this," Phillips said.
HOLIDAY EVENTS
According to the Lawrence Convention and Visitors Bureau, the following events will be offered from Dec. 5 to Dec. 19:
Eldridge Hotel Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade, 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, down town 749-5011
*Old West Lawrence Holiday Homes Tour,
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, and
noon - 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, 865-4499.*
*Festival of Nativities Display, 1 - 7 p.m.*
Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 5-20, Centenary United Methodist Church, Fourth and
Film streets, North Lawrence, 843-1756.
Waxman Candles Annual Open House,
noon - 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, 609 Massachusetts St. 843-8593
Holiday Vespers, 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 6, Lied Center, 15th and
Crestline streets, 864-2787.
- Festival of Trees, 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.
daily, Dec 7 - 10, except Dec 9, 10
a. m. - 5 p.m., Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St, 843-2085.
Lawrence had its first Eldridge Hotel Old Fashioned Christmas Parade on Dec. 4, 1993. Twenty-three horse-drawn vehicles made their way down Massachusetts Street, and Santa Claus arrived in a stagecoach
- Lawrence Arts Center Invitational Arts and Craft Show, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. Monday - Thursday; 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; Friday; 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8-23, Lawrence Arts Center, 9th and Vermont streets, 843-2787.
Mint Street
KANU Goodtime Radio Revue, 8 p.m. Sat
urday, Dec. 12, Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St., 749-197.
A Christmas Carol, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday,
Dec. 9, Lied Center, 15th and Crest-
line streets, 864-2787.
Angels with Polly Reed, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 16, Watkins Community Museum of History, 11th and Massachu-
sells streets, 841-4109
■ "Best Christmas Pageant Ever." Seem-To-Be-Players, 7:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec 17 - 19, Liberty Hall, 642 Massachusetts St. 843-5067.
Hattfield said this year's parade will have at least 90 entries from 10 to 15 different states and should last about an hour and a half.
provided by Don and Doris Cress of Council Grove.
ay Patti K. Lyon Special to the Kansan
Christmas trees, children and the holiday spirit of giving the annual Festival of Trees includes all three.
many local individuals, businesses and groups such as fraternities and sororites volunteer their time to decorate and donate a Christmas tree for a Festival of Trees auction. This holiday event is organized to benefit Shelter Inc., an area children's shelter, said Judy Culley, executive director for Shelter, Inc.
"Incredible work goes into these
"The children's shelter is a nonprofit organization that provides emergency services for youth in the Lawrence community," said Laura Sutherland, co-chairwoman for the festival. "In the past, we have raised well over $25,000."
hand-carved all the birds on the tree that they donated."
"It just a wonderful event," said Malika Weil, Lawrence, graduate student. "There are so many creative ideas, and it is all for a good cause. My favorite tree of all times had a fish motif. It had round clear balls like bubbles, bubbling lights and had fish and starfish ornaments."
The idea for the festival was borrowed from similar events in Topeka and all across the United States, Culley said. The festival, which is in its 12th year in Lawrence, will start Dec. 6 with a tree-decorating party. The public will be able
to see the finished trees from 10 a.m. to
8:30 p.m. Dec. 7-10 at Liberty Hall, 642
Massachusetts St., except for Dec. 9,
when the hours will be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The trees will be auctioned after a Christmas party held from 7 to 8 p.m. on Dec. 9. All purchased trees will be delivered Dec. 10.
Although the event has a committee and a core of volunteers, it becomes a community project. Sutherland said.
Liberty Hall donates a portion of the cost for the rental of the hall, and a moving company provides free use of moving vans and drivers. Culley said. Lawrence police officers volunteers its time to deliver trees. Some University of Kansas sororities and fraternities usually volunteer to help at the party. Culley said.
Missy Maas, Minneapolis senior, said she volunteered to help last year with the festival through her sorority, Kappa Kappa Gamma.
The Lawrence Festival of Trees will be held Dec. 7-10 in Liberty Hall. Trees, like this 1997 entry, are decorated with a theme and put on display. Contributed Art
We do it annually." Maas said. "Kappa Kappa Gamma will be serving food and drinks during the party, and we will help with the silent auction."
Planning for this year's festival began in August when calls were made last year to tree donors about whether they were interested in donating a tree again this year. In September, commitments were confirmed with the participants. In October, the theme for each tree was collected in order for the program to be sent to the printers, Culley said.
Admission will be $2 for adults, and children under 12 will be admitted free. On the evening of the auction, admission will be $20 per person.
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