SWAMPSCOTT — The Swampscott Police Association (SPA) is kicking off the giving season with plans to host the town’s annual Holiday Parade.
The parade will be held on Saturday, Dec. 11 at 5:30 p.m. It will start at the high school and wind through town streets until it ends at Town Hall, where a holiday festival will be in full swing. The town’s Recreation Department hosts music and holiday-themed family events on the Town Hall lawn each year in conjunction with the parade.
The Swampscott Police Association teams up with Toys for Local Children (TLC) each year; this organization — which provides gifts to families each holiday season — benefits from the SPA’s holiday parade. TLC is organized by teachers from the Swampscott Public Schools.
“The way the parade is set up, we try to touch every neighborhood,” said Police Sgt. Jay Locke. “We try to bring as many people out as we can. No matter what religion or what your feeling is that day, just come out and enjoy the lights, try to get that sense of community that everyone has been sensing away to themselves with the pandemic.
“The world is starting to get going again, and hopefully we can bring a smile to some people that need it. People look forward to this every year and I know officers take a great amount of pride knowing we can do this for the community.”
The Swampscott Police Department will have a donation box in the station, where people can drop off their donations. The event is also unique in that people can donate toys along the parade route.
The route starts at Swampscott High School and continues down Essex Street to Burrill Street. It then heads to Paradise Road, Vinnin Street, Salem Street, and Humphrey Street, before ending at Town Hall on Monument Avenue.
“Our goal is to help someone every day,” said Locke, who encouraged residents to donate whatever they can. “As police, we want to make sure people are taken care of. The holidays are tough on everyone, especially (during) last year,” said Locke.
TLC is looking for Swampscott High School students to help wrap and shop for presents. If a student is interested, they can reach out to the Swampscott Middle School coordinators, Jaclyn Wilson at [email protected], Julie Faulkner at [email protected], or Ashley Mast at [email protected].
If anyone is interested in having a float during the parade, the SPA asks that they please reach out to Locke at [email protected] or Detective Ted Delano at [email protected].
