Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Christmas is Cancelled in Fresno


Or rather, make that the annual Christmas parade has been cancelled due to insufficient funding:
A holiday tradition is changing in downtown Fresno: budget cuts are forcing the city to cancel its annual Christmas parade.

City officials tell Action News the traditional parade costs a minimum of $15 thousand.

The city has only $5 thousand for the event this year, before community sponsorships are added in.

Instead of a parade, officials say the city will host a tree lighting ceremony and holiday festival in downtown Fresno.
Somewhere, Ebenezer Scrouge is looking down upon us and scowling.

3 comments:

  1. In 2010, Michigan canceled into the indefinite future (budget-cutting) its annual state fair, held every year since 1849. Do the math: 162 years. Since 1905, it was held in the same spot, athe corner of 8 Mile Rd. (yes, Eminem's 8 Mile) and Woodward Avenue. This is just a couple miles due north of the area that had half its streetlights removed, mentioned in a previous post.

    We see the great contraction everywhere.

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  2. @Patrick - wow, 162 years? That is stunning!

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  3. I've lived in Fresno for eleven years. This was the first I heard about there being a Christmas parade downtown.

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