Lakeland Christmas parade will circle Lake Morton this year instead of Lake Mirror

Sara-Megan Walsh, Lakeland Ledger
·2 min read
This year's Lakeland Christmas parade will follow a slightly different route. It won't encircle Lake Mirror this year because of construction-related road closures at Orange Street and Lake Avenue. It will instead circle Lake Morton. Because of the swans, there are some special rules in place.
This year's Lakeland Christmas parade will follow a slightly different route. It won't encircle Lake Mirror this year because of construction-related road closures at Orange Street and Lake Avenue. It will instead circle Lake Morton. Because of the swans, there are some special rules in place.

LAKELAND — Lakeland will put a new twist on a decades-old tradition allowing even the city's swans a chance of spotting Santa Claus.

Lakeland's annual 2023 Christmas Parade, "Christmas in Candyland," will have a new route this year because of ongoing construction impacting Orange Street and Lake Avenue. Children of all ages should prepare to set their chairs around Lake Morton, not Mirror, if they want to see the parade.

The start of the parade will be marked by fireworks over Lake Mirror about 7 p.m. on Dec. 7. The parade will step off from the RP Funding Center, 701 W. Lime St. , traveling along Lemon Street into the downtown area. It will turn left on Tennessee Avenue then right on Main, traveling along before the southern edge of Munn Park.

That's where the similarities to prior year's routes end.

Lakeland's 2023 Christmas parade will have a new route circling Lake Morton, instead of Lake Mirror, due to the impact of construction on Orange Street. Residents are asked not to feed the city's swans during the parade.
Lakeland's 2023 Christmas parade will have a new route circling Lake Morton, instead of Lake Mirror, due to the impact of construction on Orange Street. Residents are asked not to feed the city's swans during the parade.

This year, the parade will turn right at Massachusetts Avenue, heading south past City Hall to the shores of Lake Morton. It will turn left, sending marchers and floats clockwise around the lake. After circling the lake, the parade turn north on Tennessee Avenue to Orange Street. The parade will turn left onto Orange Street to end at the RP Funding Center.

As the parade will circle Lake Morton this year, spectators are asked to please refrain from feeding the swans during the parade to prevent accidents. No umbrellas or pop-up tents will be allowed along the grass along Lake Morton. No street parking will be allowed along Lake Morton Drive on the day of the parade.

City crews will focus their immediate clean up efforts around Lake Morton before concentrating on the rest of the parade route, according to city spokesman Kevin Cook.

All roads that used by the parade will close at 5 p.m. Dec. 7, except for a portion of Lime Street between Florida Avenue and Lake Beulah Drive, which will close at 3 p.m.

City officials have asked no chairs be placed along the parade route until the day of the parade. There's a Lakeland tradition of trying to reserve a spot that has caused people stake claim to their favorite viewing spot earlier and earlier.

“We understand people want a good vantage point to watch the parade," Fire Chief Doug Riley said in a statement. "Unfortunately, we have chairs blocking sidewalks and crosswalks days before the parade.”

City staff will remove or relocate chairs that are blocking sidewalks, crosswalks or handicap parking spaces. Chairs, tape or other materials used to save viewing spaces will also be removed if placed in the right-of-way before the day of the parade.

Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.

This article originally appeared on The Ledger: Lakeland switches up tradition as 2023 Christmas parade gets new route