The 2025 St. Charles Electric Christmas Parade was canceled Saturday due to the heavy snowfall blanketing the greater Chicago area, and officials say there are no plans to reschedule.
Just before 4 p.m. Saturday, the City of St. Charles announced parade — scheduled to step off at 5:30 p.m. — was cancelled due to the heavy snowfall and gusty winds projected to continue through the afternoon and into the evening.
“While the Electric Christmas Parade is a much anticipated event each year, the City and the Alliance have made the difficult decision to cancel the parade,” the cancellation announcement said. “After careful consideration and discussions with the City’s Police, Fire, and Public Works departments, maintaining public safety is the foremost concern. Slippery road conditions and additional snow accumulation pose safety risks.”
The parade will not be rescheduled, city officials said, because it would not be possible to work out the logistics.
“Parades take a lot of behind the scenes work. We would not be able to secure the proper permits and permissions to close down a major state road by the end of the year,” the city’s release said. “We also cannot ensure access to the exciting elements and floats we use as well as the availability of staff and 80+ volunteers it takes to organize this event.”
Plus, there is no guarantee another storm won’t hit on the rescheduled date, the city added.
Actor Chris Witaske — a St. Charles native who now plays Pete on the Emmy-winning FX show “The Bear,” that’s set and filmed in Chicago — was set to serve as the Grand Marshal of this year’s parade.
Despite the cancellation, there are other ways to celebrate the holidays in St. Charles.
Santa makes an appearance at the 1st Street Plaza every Saturday and Sunday from 1p.m. to 4 p.m. through Dec. 21, and holiday photos are also available at the plaza all season long.
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