Holiday parade to close downtown Oxnard streets on Saturday
Oxnard's annual downtown Christmas holiday parade will return Saturday morning, bringing traffic delays as roads close along the route.
Motorists should plan for delays starting at 9 a.m., the Oxnard Police Department said, although the parade itself runs from 10 a.m. to noon.
This year's theme is "Superhero Christmas," with holiday floats, marching bands, horseback riders and more taking part. The event, hosted by the Oxnard Downtowners Foundation, was canceled last year due to the pandem.
Participants will march up A Street from the parade start at Ninth Street, said Senior Officer Jose Diaz. They'll turn left on Fifth Street and head west past Plaza Park and a judges' station. Participants will then turn right on C Street, heading north past the police station, to end the route at Second Street.
Streets around the parade route and staging areas that will be closed to vehicle traffic include:
A Street from Wooley Road to Fifth Street
Ninth Street from A to C streets
Fifth Street from A to C streets
C Street from Sixth to First streets
Second Street from D to A streets
B Street, from Fourth to Fifth and from First to Second streets
A Street from First to Second streets
Parking will also be restricted along the route and surrounding streets. Authorities recommend attendees park at the free parking structure at Third and B streets.
People watching the parade should stay on sidewalks, not in the roadway, Diaz said, for both general safety and in case emergency vehicles need to respond to an incident on the route.
He cited last month's fatalities and injuries at a parade in Wisconsin, where a fleeing SUV ran into participants, as one example of potential dangers.
There is plenty of room on downtown sidewalks for everyone to have a good view of the parade, Diaz said.
Police will offer warnings to motorists of impending full closures on the route, where barricades will be set up, Diaz said. The police department is handling traffic control for the event.
The parade is free and open to the public.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Christmas parade to close Oxnard streets, bring traffic delays
