![Skateland Express was recognized as a previous winner of the Milton Christmas Parade. [CONTRIBUTE PHOTO]](http://127.0.0.1/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/ghows-DA-2380ad1b-872f-4d5e-a514-1bb16bc48807-bb857b79-scaled.jpeg)
MILTON — Organizers are putting the finishing touches on one of Milton’s most popular community events.
The Milton Christmas Parade will roll down State Road 87 south toward U.S. Highway 90 promptly at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7.
Santa Rosa County Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, Donna Tucker, said that the chamber organizes the event, which is sponsored this year by Sport & Wheat, CPA, LC.
“It’s a huge parade,” she said. “Last year it was a little over an hour and a half.”
The parade route closes State Road 87 or Stewart Street for about a mile north of its intersection with Highway 90. It is not allowed to travel onto 90, Tucker said.
Each year, four awards are given out: best theme, best creativity and originality, best business and best non-profit.
In the past, the chamber has set a theme, but this year organizers decided to do something different. They are not setting a theme for this year’s parade, other than it be Christmas-related.
The theme of next year’s parade will be determined by the entry with the best theme this year. The winner will get to lead the parade in 2020, right behind the parade’s sponsor.
“Money first,” she joked.
The judges set up at the Chamber office, which will actually be the new home for Sport & Wheat. The chamber is constructing a new building.
Tucker said Milton was a community that loves its parades, especially this one.
“They were calling us about the Christmas parade immediately after July 4th,” she said.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Milton Christmas Parade ready to roll