Marquette DDA holds holiday parade and tree lighting ceremony

MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) - The city of Marquette got into the holiday spirit on Thursday night with a parade and tree lighting ceremony.

Holiday characters such as the Grinch, Elsa from the Disney movie Frozen and Santa Claus himself all took part in the parade downtown. The parade ended at the Marquette Commons. That is where Santa Claus led the countdown for a tree lighting before meeting kids and their families.

Michael Bradford, the Marquette Downtown Development Authority business outreach and promotions director, said the event gave families a reason to get outside and come together during the cold.

“It’s dark, it’s cold, sometimes it can be hard to get outside,” Bradford said. “Having both the parade and the city tree lighting gives us a great opportunity to provide something for the community, to get them out and to do it while putting smiles on some faces.”

Higher Love Cannabis Company also attended the tree lighting. The company sold hot cocoa, with all funds going to Marquette’s D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans.