Santa Claus Is Coming to Town

Get ready, Olean! Santa Clause will be coming your way next Friday.

The 25th Annual Santa Clause Lane Parade will be hitting the streets at 7 p.m. on Nov. 26.

The parade actually has a longer history than you might think. It originally started back in 1939 and went annually until a big flood hit in 1972. Then it restarted again in 1986 and became the Santa Clause Lane Parade.

The parade will feature many different floats and walking units from local businesses, organizations, schools and much more, said Meme Yanetsko, chief executive officer of the Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce (GOACC). The parade will have between 60 and 70 units participating this year, including various local fire departments and high school marching bands with Santa Claus concluding the extravaganza around 8 p.m. by counting down to the lighting of the town.

Also, with Santa on the Olean Fire Department’s truck will be the three winners to the essay contest, hosted by the GOACC. Winners will be announced the 22nd, and then will go up with Santa to do the countdown.

New this year, lights have been added to Lincoln Park and the South Union Street and Main Street bridges in an attempt to decorate all of the entrances and exits of Olean.

During the parade, music will be playing over the town’s sound system, but PIG 95.7, the emcees of the event, will be cutting into the music to announce what floats are coming through town. Also, some floats will be playing their own music while cruising down Santa Claus Lane.

The parade will run from the Burger King on North Union Street to the four corners where Route 417 and Route 16 meet, and Yanetsko does have a few words of warning: Don’t park on the streets in town. She says to park on Barry Street or in the mall parking lot, which can be accessed through Barry Street. Because of the 2,000 people participating in the parade and the 5,000 to 6,000 people watching the parade, North Union Street will be more than just a little packed. And, to make traffic worse, the parade route will be shut down at 6 p.m., so all traffic will be diverted around the area.

Throughout the parade, some non-profit organizations will be selling hot cocoa on the street, and local retailers will be open for their usual Friday hours so don’t forget to dine and shop while getting ready to kick off the Christmas/Holiday season!

The large array of lights covering the main part of the city will be lit all weekend, and then will be on from about 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. most of the holiday season.

And don’t forget to check out Lincoln Park after the lights have gone on, Yanetsko said.

“It’s always nice to walk through the park and view the winter wonderland we have set up,” she said.

The lights in Olean are one of the largest free displays in the area. Delaware Park has a huge display of lights, but they do charge a pretty penny to see it.

So, after you stuff your belly with turkey and go out for the morning rush of sales, get ready to kick back and enjoy the Santa Clause Lane Parade and all the beautiful lights that come with it.