The City of Portage was looking very cheerful this Saturday evening when the Very Merry Portage Holiday Parade of Toys and tree lighting ceremony kicked off the holiday season. Residents lined Central Avenue for the opportunity to see the Clauses as well as the floats put together by many local organizations.
The event was put together by the Kiwanis Club of Portage and the Portage Event Partnership (PEP) as a way to develop a closer Portage community.
“We wanted to make a bigger event than just having our chili supper. We wanted to make a nice holiday celebration for the children and arrays are bringing a bunch of toys for children in Porter County,” Assistant Fire Chief Dan Kodicek said.
PEP and Kiwanis brought the holiday parade back last year after a multi-year hiatus to help Portage residents feel connected following the COVID-19 pandemic. Judging by the turnout of this year’s event, the partnership’s goal has been achieved.
“Oh, it’s wonderful, it’s twice as many as we had last year,” said Sue Lynch, Mayor of Portage.
The event began with a Parade for Toys down Central Avenue towards Founders Plaza. Local businesses and organizations marched alongside classic holiday figures such as Santa Claus and Rudolph. Throughout the parade, Kiwanis collected donations for Toys for Tots. By the end, there were more donations than anyone could carry.
“It's one of the largest. We usually fill a pretty good sized trailer full,” said Kodicek.
After the parade, the party moved to Founders Plaza where attendees gathered for carols, hot chocolate and the lighting of Portage’s Christmas tree. Children raced to be the first to take pictures with Mister and Mrs. Clause.
The whole event is only possible thanks to the support of Portage residents and private businesses who share the city’s goal of creating a more unified community.
“I want to thank the Kiwanis and the PEP team, thank the choral leaders for coming out, thank everybody who got into the parade to make it a success, and thanks to everyone who came out tonight. ” Lynch said.
With another successful year of celebrating under its belt, anticipation for what Kiwanis and PEP can cook up next year is already building. The combined efforts of PEP, Kiwanis and the community have helped solidify the holiday parade as a genuine Portage tradition, one the city intends to keep going well into the future.
To keep up to date on what’s happening in Portage, visit the city’s website at www.portagein.gov.
To learn more about Kiwanis or find the closest club to you, visit www.kiwanis.org.
