by Noella Noelophile®
(Photograph courtesy of Carol Larsen, and used with permission.)
This Sunday continues a beloved tradition in the Victorian village of Ferndale.
Their 32nd annual “Ferndale Lighted Tractor Parade” happens Sunday evening, December 15th, at 6:00 pm “or when we get done milking”, according to their website.
And it is a fun, warmhearted and imaginative celebration of community.
Photograph courtesy of Carol Larsen and used with permission.
Tractors will line up for judging at 4:30, under the Christmas tree at Main Street. (Which isn’t just any Christmas tree–it’s America’s tallest living one!)
If you’re in the area, you’re also invited to join the community for another Christmas tradition: a festive pre-parade meal. The Portuguese Hall, at 355 Ocean Avenue, is hosting a “Polenta and Stew Dinner” from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, and this sounds tempting! Here’s the link for more information.
Then, at 6:00 pm–or whenever Bessie and company have performed as expected–the parade begins, down Main Street.
(Royalty-free image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.)
Local farmers and ranchers will be showcasing their creativity on fancifully-decorated tractors, wagons and horse-drawn floats. A live stream will be available on Facebook, according to the Ferndale Lighted Tractor Parade website. A number of entrants will have received collectible trophies, handcrafted by local woodworkers and metal artists, for their entries.
And congratulations to the parade’s 2024 Grand Marshals, the Nicholson Family! I don’t know them personally, but according to the Ferndale Lighted Tractor Parade’s Facebook page, 2024 marks their dairy’s centennial!
Ferndale’s 32nd Annual Lighted Tractor Parade happens this Sunday evening, December 15th. Tractors line up for judging under the Christmas tree at the end of Main Street at 4:30 pm, with judging at 5:00 pm. The parade begins at 6:00 or when the milking is finished; here’s a link to the route and parking instructions.
And if you can arrive early and would like a great community meal for a great cause, here’s more information about the “Polenta & Stew Dinner”, which starts at Portuguese Hall at 4:00 pm.