42nd Annual Festival of Lights Christmas Parade
December 6, 2024
For over 40 years the Sand Springs Christmas Parade has attracted tens of thousands of visitors annually from across the state. The Festival of Lights is the oldest and largest nighttime Christmas parade in Oklahoma, beginning in 1983, and is hosted by the Sand Springs Chamber of Commerce in the heart of the downtown Triangle District.
Sand Springs Christmas Parade History
2023 - Peanuts Wonderland: A Merry Sand Springs Christmas Parade
Award Winners
Best Overall - Charles Page High School Varsity Cheer
Best Church - Agape Outreach
Best Use of Theme - Green Country Federal Credit Union
Best Use of Lights - Electrical Alliances
Best Showmanship - Tulsa Tech - Sand Springs Campus
Best Marching Unit - Patti Parrish School of Dance
2022 - Christmas At The Movies
The 2022 parade featured Salon Thirty-Six owner Jeanna Alexander as Grand Marshall. Alexander appeared in the 1974 movie “Where the Red Fern Grows” at age 7.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Same Day Auto Repair
Best Church - Agape Outreach
Best Use of Theme - Sand Springs 4H
Best Use of Lights - CPHS FFA and Sand Springs Animal Shelter
Best Showmanship - Sand Springs Community Theatre
Best Marching Unit - Tulsa County 4H Horse Club
2021 - The Joy of Giving
With a theme of giving, the Grand Marshalls for the 2021 parade were Carrie Schlehuber and Susan Cox. Schlehuber, the Director of Special Education for Sand Springs Public Schools, was the recipient of a kidney donated by Cox.
Click here to view our 2021 parade photo gallery.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Blush Hair & Makeup Lounge.
Best Church - The Salvation Army.
Best Use of Theme - Same Day Auto Repair.
Best Use of Lights - Rock Volunteer Fire Department.
Best Showmanship - New Life Tabernacle Church.
Best Marching Unit - Miss Tirita’s Dance Studio.
2020 - The Joy of Giving - CANCELED
The 2020 parade was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the theme was postponed till 2021.
2019 - Christmas is the Sweetest Season of All
In a rescheduled theme from the canceled 2019 parade, internationally renown sugar artist Kerry Vincent served as Grand Marshall for the festivities.
Click here to view our 2019 photo gallery.
Award Winners
Best Overall - New Life Tabernacle.
Best Church - Salvation Army.
Best Use of Theme - Eagle Point Christian Academy.
Best Use of Lights - Tulsa Quarter Midget Association.
Best Showmanship - Miss Tirita’s Dance Studio.
Best Marching Unit - Girl Scouts of Eastern Oklahoma.
2018 - Christmas is the Sweetest Season of All - CANCELED
The 2018 theme was “Christmas is the Sweetest Season of All” with internationally-renown sugar artist Kerry Vincent planned as Grand Marshall for the event. The parade was canceled due to a severe winter weather advisory.
2017 - Winter Nights and Magical Lights
The 2017 parade coincided with a Parade of Books at Rod’s Books and Relics, featuring local authors. The Grand Marshalls for the event were an assortment of Sand Springs athletes, including the 2017 State Championship wrestling team (Riley Weir, Tanner Ward, Michael Ritchey, Blake Sargent, Daton Fix, Jack Karstetter, Beau Bratcher, Payton Scott, Noah Almy, Zane Basma, Luke Bratcher, Gage Fain, Delvin Jordan Jr., Kris Edwards, and Coach Kelly Smith) and cross country State Champion Cheyenne Walden.
Award Winners
Best Overall - New Life Tabernacle.
Best Church - Garden Heights Freewill Baptist Church.
Best Use of Theme - Studio B Hair and Nail Salon.
Best Use of Lights - Tulsa Tech - Sand Springs Campus.
Best Showmanship - Cub Scout Pack 63.
Best Marching Unit - Miss Tirita's Dance Studio.
2016 - All-American Christmas
In keeping with the “All American Christmas” theme, the Grand Marshalls in 2016 were members of the local American Legion Post.
Award Winners
Best Overall - New Life Tabernacle.
Best Church - Amazing Grace Holiness Church.
Best Use of Theme - Studio B Hair and Nail Salon.
Best Use of Lights - Rock Fire Department.
Best Showmanship - Salvation Army.
Best Marching Unit - Miss Tirita's Dance Studio.
2015 - Down On The Farm
The 2015 parade showcased Sand Springs’ small-town spirit as it was rescheduled from December 4th to the 5th to allow the community to support the Sandite football team in the State Finals.
The Grand Marshalls for the event were Mike and Lotsee Spradling, the owners of Flying G Ranch in neighboring Lotsee, Oklahoma.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Tulsa Technology Center.
Best Church - Broadway Baptist Preschool.
Best Use of Theme - New Home Freewill Baptist Church.
Best Use of Lights - Doss Family.
Best Showmanship - Miss Tirita's Dance Studio.
Best Marching Unit - Zumba with Dawn.
Best Dressed Window - Harvest World Market.
2014 - Sounds of the Season
City Manager Elizabeth Gray served as Grand Marshall for the 2014 Christmas parade.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Precision Outdoor Services.
Best Church - Restoration Church of God of Prophecy.
Best Use of Lights - Rock Volunteer Fire Department.
Best Showmanship - Zumba With Dawn.
Best Marching Unit - Miss Tirita’s Dance Studio.
2013 - Sounds of the Season
2013 marked the first cancelation in parade history, due to severe winter weather. The theme was postponed to 2014.
2012 - The Spirit of Christmas Future
2012’s parade bookended a year of centennial celebrations for the town.
2010 - Goodies and Gifts
Grand Marshalls for the 2010 Christmas parade were Special Olympians Barry Hemphill and Jordan Dunkin, who represented Oklahoma in the 2010 National Special Olympics.
2008 - The Biggest Show on Earth
The 2008 parade featured a live concert from Sand Springs native Broadway performer Sam Harris, who also served as Grand Marshall.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Pazazz Dance and Cheernastics Center.
Best Church - Ridgeway Baptist Church Singles.
Best Use of Theme - Same Day Auto Repair.
Best Use of Lights - Northeast Oklahoma Square Dance Association.
Best Showmanship - Miss Tirita's Dance Studio.
Best Marching Unit - Mannford High School Color Guard.
2007 - Great Beginnings
2006 - On The Road to Christmas
The 2006 parade was postponed a week due to weather. The Grand Marshall for the event was Michael Wallis, a Route 66 historian and voice actor from “Cars.”
2005 - Coming Home for Christmas
2004 - Celebration of the Child
2002 - Lighting the Way: A 20-Year Tradition
2001 - Christmas Is for Giving
2000 - Out of This World Christmas
Sand Springs Public Schools Superintendent Lloyd Snow served as Grand Marshall for the millennial Christmas parade.
1999 - Christmas in America
Dale Morrow, owner of Morrow-Gill Lumber Co. and a World War II veteran, was selected to serve as Grand Marshall for the 1999 Christmas parade.
1998 - A Storybook Christmas
Harlem Globetrotter and native Sandite Marques Haynes served as Grand Marshall for the 1998 Christmas parade but more than just Sand Springs celebrated the civil rights activist.
December 4th was proclaimed Marques Haynes Day in Oklahoma by Governor Frank Keating.
1997 - A Rock-N-Roll Christmas
Local rock band The Twisters served as Grand Marshalls for the 15th annual Festival of Lights and put on a concert after the parade at the Central Junior High auditorium in downtown. The judges for the parade were Dottie King, Dr. Peggy Dyer, and Claude Donica.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Grace Community Fellowship Church.
Best Church - Calvary Baptist Church.
Best Use of Theme - Boy Scout Pack 14.
Best Use of Lights - U.S. Truck Driving School.
Best Showmanship - Word of Life Fellowship.
Best Marching Unit - Chandler Park Pom Pom Squad.
Best Horse Entry - (Tie) Vietnam Veteran Color Guard and Sand Springs Roundup Club.
1996
While the title of Grand Marshall is typically reserved for Sand Springs residents, in 1996 an exception was made for Oklahoma City Fire Department official Jon Hansen, who was the public information officer for the department during the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building bombing.
Award Winners
Best Overall - Ball-Foster Glass Plant.
1994 - Christmas in Native America
Serving as Grand Marshall in 1994 was Helen Anderson Childers, a of the Osage nation, in keeping with the Native American theme.
1993 - Christmas in Our Hometown
Retired restaurateur Raymond Ward, of Ward’s Restaurant, served as Grand Marshall in the 1993 Sand Springs-themed parade.
1990 - A Christmas Wish
The 1990 Christmas parade was judged by weathermen Travis Meyer and Gary Shore, as well as Cust-O-Fab President Berry Keeler.
Past Sand Springs Christmas Parades
Although the nighttime Festival of Lights wasn’t started until 1983, there were other Sand Springs Christmas parades in prior years. The Junior Chamber of Commerce, known as the Jaycees, hosted a parade as early as 1940 and according to sporadic newspaper mentions it appears to have continued through the 1950s. By the late 50s other organizations, such as the Chamber of Commerce and Ministerial Alliance joined in the hosting duties.
The parade was initially canceled in 1961 due to a lack of participation as only three parade entries were received, but after public uproar it was instead rescheduled for a week later. The tradition appears to have died the following year.
