Winter Park hosts annual holiday parade with COVID changes

WINTER PARK, Fla. - Winter Park held its annual Holiday Parade on Saturday morning. It was the same holiday spirit as years past, but this year wrapped up in a more safety-conscious package.

Spectators along Park Avenue in downtown Winter Park were spaced apart, wearing masks.

“I appreciate everyone wearing it,” said Lara Murphy, a parade spectator, “I think it's really important. We do what we have to do, you know?”

Winter Park's annual Christmas parade still made spirits bright, during the pandemic.

“They added some new things,” said Morgan Murphy, Lara’s son, “and I liked the marching bands!”

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Organizers did their best to cut down on this year's crowds.

“Normally we'd see tenfold the crowd we had here,” said Betsy Gardner Eckbert, president of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, “and our job today was really try to enable the parade but make sure we didn't draw that much of a crowd, we didn't want to enable a super-spreader moment.”

One of the big changes this year was designated spaces along the sidewalk, clearly marked-off in red tape, letting everyone know where they could stand, so groups could stay socially-distant.

“So we're really pleased, we've been able to showcase what's best about Winter Park today but still keep people as safe as possible,” Eckbert said.

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This year had about a hundred groups taking part in the march, including four bands. Spectators, like Trina Hammer, said they were happy to keep the tradition alive while staying safe.

“It's really nice that it hasn't been interrupted by COVID,” Hammer said, “that we can still do a lot of the things we're used to doing because a lot of traditions you're aren't able to do this year, so this is one tradition that as a family we can enjoy.”