Tri-Community Fire Chiefs to lead Winter Fest Parade

Belleville Fire Chief Brian Loranger, Sumpter Fire Chief Joe Januszyk and Van Buren Township Fire Chief Amy Brow are the grand marshals of this year’s lighted Winter Fest Parade put on by the Belleville Area Chamber of Commerce.
The fire chiefs will be riding in a special truck provided by Atchinson Ford.
This year’s parade steps off from the Belleville High School parking lot at 6 p.m. Saturday and heads towards Five Points on West Columbia Ave., then turns left and travels up Main Street to the stage at the museum.
Santa Claus will come to town in a Belleville Fire Truck at the end of the parade and then be presented with the key to the city by Mayor Kerreen Conley. Santa will help light the Christmas tree in front of the Belleville Area Museum and then walk over to the First United Methodist Church where he will meet with children.
In front of the Methodist Church on Roys Street will be a living manger scene with real actors and animals, which will start after the parade ends.
Fireworks are set to start at 8 p.m.
Signed up for the parade as of Monday were:
• American Heritage Girls Troop MI0413
• Belleville Yacht Club
• Girl Scouts of Southeast Michigan – District 1103
• Girl Scout Troop 75917
• Belleville Area Women’s Club
• Harbour Club Holiday Float
• Family Holiday Traditions Essay Contest Winners
• Boy Scout Troop 231
• Wayne County Fairgrounds
• Van Buren Junior Order of Eagles 3996
• Snider Electric
• Belleville Area Museum 1919 Model T
• Yankee Air Museum Rosie the Riveter Drill Team
• Belleville Central Business Community – Buzz the Business Dog
• Van Buren Township elected officials
• Van Buren Township Police and Fire
• P&P Dance Center
• Belleville High School Marching Band
Also, a part of the week end’s activities is the Animal Magic show by Mark Rosenthal in the Fourth Street tent on Friday at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 11 a.m. Both are free to the public.
Also, the Jingle Bell Run registers at Horizon Park at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday and will start off by running up Main Street to Five Points and back before heading over the Denton Road bridge for its 1K Fun Run and 5K Run/Walk.
Also, featured on Saturday is a free bounce house on Third Street from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., carriage rides at Roys Street from 3 to 5:30 p.m. with a charge, a Soup Crawl in the Fourth Street tent from 2 to 6 p.m. with a charge, Cardio Drumming at the bandstand at 4:30 p.m., and free children’s crafts at Crafted Modern Handmade shop at 381 Main Street from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., followed by the Belleville Area District Library’s Children’s Librarian Nakenya Lewis-Yarbrough holding a POP-UP storytime at the store at 2:30 p.m.
Ice sculptures are planned along Main Street. And, the library will hold its annual Cookie Decorating Event from 4:30 to 6 p.m., with hot chocolate available to all.
Also on Saturday, radio personality Pam Rossi will be at the Fourth Street Square tent from 2 to 6 p.m. selling and signing her book “OverEasy Conversations with Pam Rossi.”