OVERVIEW OF Taylor Winter Festival

The City of Taylor is preparing for the 2016 Taylor Winter Festival on Saturday, November 26. It plans to be bigger and better than ever before! Included will be a bigger and better parade, Winterfest activities, official tree lighting and much more … capped off by a fireworks display. The event is free.

The celebration, which kicks off the opening of Santa’s Magic Forest at the Heritage Park Activities Building, will begin with the Taylor Ford Parade at 4 p.m. The parade will begin at City Hall (23555 Goddard) and march to Pardee and then Heritage Park. 

The Masco Winterfest Activities will then kick off inside the Sheridan Center Open Air Pavilion, followed by the Realty Transition Official Tree Lighting Ceremony including Mayor Rick Sollars handing off the official key to the City to Santa Claus.

The Taylor Chevrolet Winterfest Fireworks display will cap off the evening.

“We got a good start last year, and our goal is to make this a better event every year,” Mayor Sollars said. “We are looking forward to a bigger parade and, thanks to our sponsors and staff, more and more fun events. I’m really looking forward to the fireworks display.”

The 40-unit parade, paced by the marching bands from Truman and Summit high schools, should be plenty of fun. Look for seasonal characters, cheerleaders, businesses, groups and organizations, elected officials and plenty of floats. (See tentative parade lineup at end of story.)

Look for the following members of the Miss Downriver pageant:

• Miss Downriver 2016 Shelby McPherson
• Miss Downriver's Outstanding Teen 2016 Jenna Belian 
• Heart of Miss Downriver Alyssa Patrias 
• Miss Downriver's Pre-teen Princess 2016 Layla Pavlick 
• Miss Downriver's Little Princess 2016 Lauryn Chasnis 
• Miss Downriver's Tiny Princess 2016 Paityn Gruesbeck

Viewing of the parade should be good from anywhere on Goddard and Pardee, with ideal locations (including parking) at the Taylor Recreation Center and in front of the Sheridan Center Open Air Pavilion in Heritage Park, where viewers can line the berm and get a very good look at the parade.

Once inside the Sheridan Center, the Masco Winterfest Activities will take over. Look for photos with season characters, a photo booth, carolers and bands, live ice carving, raffles, snacks and hot cocoa and carriage rides.

A “Fill the F-350” Toy Drive will be ongoing in the pavilion, and attendees are encouraged to bring boxed, unwrapped toys (ideally for 12-and-unders) to donate. Toys for toy drive can also be dropped off at City Hall through December 16. The toys will be distributed by the City of Taylor in partnership with Taylor School Support Staff.

WNIC 100.3’s Chris Edwards will be onsite. The Realty Transition Official Tree Lighting will start with a ceremony at 6 p.m. including Mayor Sollars, Santa Claus and officials from Downriver Fish & Loaves Food Pantry, which runs Santa’s Magic Forest. The tree lighting will take place at approximately 6:15. 

The Taylor Chevrolet Winterfest Fireworks will be displayed at approximately 6:30.

After the fireworks display, the City encourages attendees to visit Santa’s Magic Forest next door at the Activities Building, along with the Taylor Conservatory & Botanical Gardens’ annual tree lighting later that evening. 

Santa's Magic Forest is the largest fundraiser for the Downriver Fish & Loaves Food Pantry, and is Downriver's premier Christmas display featuring 23 scenes to inspire and delight children and adults. Tickets are (cash only) $3 general admission (free for children under 3). A picture with Santa is $8.

Other sponsors and donors to the 2016 Taylor Summer Festival include DTE Energy, Michigan CAT. Shwedel Dental, Tim Hortons, Texas Roadhouse and Panera Bread.