Madison Christmas Committee Parade
The annual Madison Christmas Committee Parade, a beloved Madison holiday tradition, took place on Friday, November 29, 2019.
The tradition began in 1979 when the brother and sister team of Margaret and Frank Dorothy organized a ‘gathering’ which was a 10-minute ceremony with the highlight being Santa lighting a Christmas tree with the help of a fire truck ladder.
The following year, 1980, the Toto family joined in and built a Santa Clause house, and each year after that the parade expanded.
According to Carmine Toto, Jr., this year’s event ran approximately 1 hour-long, with the most participants in its history. Toto said “In 4o years, I can’t believe how it’s grown.”
The 2019 parade, now run by a committee spearheaded by Rose Ferdinand, a catalyst for the event for over 50 years, was the biggest and largest parade in history. The tremendous community event has participation from over 40 community organizations, along with churches, scouting troops, bands, and the Madison Fire, Police, and EMS.
At the conclusion of the parade, the Christmas tree on Waverly Place is lit by Santa. The original Santa House is just one feature of “The Christmas Village” located near the Madison Train Station, which will stay on display throughout the holiday season.
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