By COLE REIF
Great Bend Post
As Great Bend Community Coordinator Christina Hayes looks back on 2023, Mother Nature was not overly kind to the large outdoor events. Last year’s June Jaunt was dampened by rain, Party in the Park ended early because of weather and the Home for the Holidays Festival was cancelled because of snow.
As the holiday festival, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, the event allows many to usher in the Christmas season with the Christmas tree lighting, carriage rides, food and refreshments and the parade down Main Street. Hayes said rescheduling a parade down Main, a state highway, is no small task.
"There are only two routes you can take," said Hayes. "If you have a parade, you can't just turn off on Broadway. We have two state-approved ways you can go. You can't even decide to go east instead of west for the turnoff. It's all down to a science."
Hayes said anyone that plans to have a parade in Great Bend typically needs to let her know by February, so the city can get permission with the state. Companies using large semis to ship goods oftentimes have truck routes that need to know if the highway will be closed.
Because of the cancellation last year, Hayes is planning on beefing up the 2024 Home for the Holidays Festival, possibly with two separate parades and grand marshals.
"The whole reason why I love my job is because I am given the opportunity to help create memories for families and people in Great Bend," said Hayes. "That's really what I stem everything from."
Citizens can find a 2024 calendar of events for Great Bend by viewing the Explore Great Bend Facebook page.