The floats were likely simpler, the route perhaps shorter, and the crowd a collection of friends and neighbors in a small town. Yet, the feeling was undoubtedly the same: a child’s wide-eyed wonder, the warmth of a shared experience against the chill of winter, and the reassurance that Christmas was indeed on its way. Over 75 years ago, the first of what would be many Santa Parades rolled through the streets of Chehalis, igniting a yuletide fire that would become a lasting holiday tradition. Today, that festive flame burns bright, illuminating the community in the spirit of the season and lighting the way for Santa’s sleigh year after year.
Ghosts of Christmas Past: The Foundations of Festive Joy in Chehalis
While plenty of holiday processions had brought the spirit of Christmas to Chehalis before, the official, annual Chehalis Santa Parade became the bright, shining star of the holiday in the mid-20th century. Though exact records from the 1940s are as elusive as a silent night, 1950 is widely celebrated as the inaugural year of the event, when the Centralia-Chehalis Chamber of Commerce formalized it. From the very inception, the parade was designed to be Chehalis’s largest, most family-oriented Christmas event, aiming to bring hundreds of people dashing all the way downtown to formally mark the start of the holiday season.
During the celebration’s first year, the Chamber would establish a core tradition that would capture the imagination of young minds for generations by hiring one official St. Nick to close out the event as the grand finale, ensuring the magic remained pure and simple for all the young believers watching from the sidewalks.
Fulfilling this role was a man who didn’t just play the part but embodied the spirit of old Saint Nick: Charles Sitton. A pioneer resident who had lived in the Pacific Northwest since 1902 and Lewis County since 1910, Sitton was a man who deeply loved children, having adopted five in addition to raising his own biological child. By 1952, at the ripe age of 81, Sitton believed himself to be the oldest Santa Claus “helper” in the entire United States. He took his role as seriously as if he were guarding the North Pole itself. Sitton was described as a man “old in years, but young at heart,” a sentiment that perfectly captured the magic of the parade’s infancy.
Santa’s on His Way: The Sleigh of Steel
The modern-day tradition of the Chehalis Santa Parade is intertwined with its most celebrated vehicle: the 1937 American LaFrance Fire Engine, often decked out as the “Santa Mobile.” Purchased new by the Chehalis Fire Department in 1937, this vehicle, aptly named Engine 2 as it was the department’s second motorized engine, faithfully served as a front-line pumper for three decades before it was retired from service in 1977.
After its retirement, the engine was surplus due to a lack of storage space. It ended up as a static display at the Southwest Washington Fairgrounds, where it unfortunately fell into significant disrepair. Recognizing its historical value, the Chehalis Firefighters Union Local 2510 IAFF formally requested ownership in 1980, and the damaged Engine 2 was returned to the Park Street Fire Station. It briefly returned to service in the aftermath of the Mount St. Helens eruption in 1980, where firefighters used it to pump water and wash off the heavy ash, an incident that sadly resulted in a bashed fender, fueling the union’s resolve to rescue the historic truck and see it restored.
The years of restoration were marked by dedication and tragedy. Initial work began in 2014, supported by a contribution from the estate of longtime Chehalis Fire Department Captain George Benton. The restoration crew, led by former police officer Rick Silva, was halted in 2015 when Silva died unexpectedly. The dismantled engine sat untouched for another decade until a chance encounter outside the old station led to the involvement of Olympia Firehouse 5, a nonprofit dedicated to restoring historic fire equipment. This final push, led by retired firefighters who make the nonprofit possible, successfully returned Engine 2 to its original glory. Now fully restored, the engine continues its second life as a community feature, ready to serve in upcoming parades and sometimes even carry the most important passenger of all, Santa Claus!
Happy Holidays in Chehalis: The Parade in the Present Day
Today, the Chehalis Santa Parade has grown into a spectacular annual spectacle that celebrates both the holiday and the community’s rich history. Held in early December, the parade still courses through the historic downtown district and immediate business core, with floats and school marching bands remaining the prime spotlight. While the crowd size has increased significantly, the 2023 parade alone drew approximately 2,500 people; the structure remains centered on local involvement, theme, and service.
Each year, the event features a distinct theme, with recent celebrations ranging from the storybook classic “The Night Before Christmas” (72nd Annual in 2022), which gave families and schools a familiar canvas to stage beloved holiday scenes, to the tropical whimsy of “Aloha Christmas” (73rd Annual in 2023), which playfully contrasted palm trees and leis with a Northwest winter, and the high?energy “Rock’n Roll Christmas” (74th Annual in 2024), which brought guitars, jukeboxes, and retro flair to the streets. The upcoming 75th Annual Parade in 2025 is already eagerly anticipating a massive turnout with a “A Country Christmas” theme.
A vital component of the modern parade is the selection of grand marshals, often residents or groups, chosen to honor their community service and reflect local values. This tradition shines a spotlight on those who have made significant contributions, from civic leaders to longtime volunteers. Beyond the parade itself, the Santa Mobile tradition has evolved into a separate, highly anticipated event in which Santa and firefighters cruise Chehalis neighborhoods, greeting children, handing out candy canes, and collecting donations for local charities such as the Greater Chehalis Food Bank and Toys for Tots.
The Chehalis Santa Parade endures as the city’s very own Christmas story, told anew each December. Its pages span 75 years, bound by the generous spirit of pioneers like Charles Sitton and illuminated by the brilliant chrome of an antique fire engine. Through every theme, every grand marshal, and every candy cane, the parade continues to act as the festive view to the past and the introduction to the holiday season, ensuring community, wonder, and joy are repeated year after year, as a true chronicle of Christmas cheer, with countless celebrations still to come in Chehalis.
Celebrate 75 years of the Santa Parade on December 6, 2025, in downtown Chehalis at 11 a.m. With the theme “Country Christmas,” this year’s grand marshal is KMNT 104.3 FM.
