Children's Float Tribute To Holiday Classics
Winter Wonderland Parade Highlights Tradition
Last updated Thursday, December 4, 2008 8:48 PM CST in News
By Richard Dean Prudenti
THE MORNING NEWS
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BENTONVILLE -- Cue music: The time is near, so hurry fast ...
Bentonville's annual Winter Wonderland parade is set to begin 11 a.m. Saturday, and 7-year-old Mac Estes of Bentonville plans to perform as Alvin the Chipmunks and sing the well-known classic, "Christmas, Don't Be Late."
Mac is one of 30 children who belong to the "Chillin' With The Classics" float, a tribute to holiday movie classics. He got the idea of performing as Alvin from the 2007 movie, "Alvin and the Chipmunks."
"I like that he plays the guitar and sings. I'd like to play a guitar one day. I just bought a guitar," he said.
Mac's mother, Shannon Estes, said the movie is not the same as the traditional cartoon, "The Chipmunk's Christmas," but the famous Alvin, Simon and Theodore characters sing a rockin' version of the classic song.
"I guess that counts as a Christmas movie," Estes said.
As lead singer, Mac will be jamming with his friends, Harrison Campbell and Parker Charlton, who play Simon and Theodore, respectively. All three are in the second grade at R.E. Baker Elementary School in Bentonville.
"Chillin' With The Classics" is one spin on the parade theme, "Traditions of the Season."
"Hanging out with hot chocolate and popcorn and watching the movie. That's a Christmas tradition," Estes said, noting some children will be on the floor in their pajamas watching the "movies" in big cardboard television sets on the float.
Other holiday classics represented on the float include "The Polar Express," "Christmas Vacation," "A Christmas Story," "Rudolph, the Red-nosed Reindeer," "Frosty the Snowman," "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," "Charlie Brown's Christmas" and "A Christmas Carol."
Downtown Bentonville hopes attendance this year matches last year's estimated 6,500. One thing's for sure, there are more floats and other entries this year. Dee Barr, office manager and membership coordinator, anticipates more than 80 floats and entrees. Last year, there were about 75 floats or entries.
"It's unbelievable the response from churches, organizations ... Everybody's excited," Barr said.
Why are people so fascinated by parades? Daniel Hintz, the executive director of Downtown Bentonville, said because the parade is like a performance. "Parades are like giant community theater. You see all your friends, family and neighbors on stage hamming it up -- doing something they don't normally do," he said.
Hintz said the parade theme allows for connections between parade participants and the audience.
One float from Pack 88 of the Boy Scouts will show soldiers around a military camp opening letters, cards and care packages from home.
Personal connections are what make up good theater, Hintz said. "That's the neat thing. People are able to share their personal experiences of the holidays. By exploring traditions of the season, the hope is that the audience will say, 'That's my experience as well,'" he said.
At A Glance
Winter Wonderland Parade
The annual parade begins at the old Benton County Fairground at South Main and Southwest Eighth streets at 11 a.m. Saturday. Floats and other entries will proceed north on Main Street toward the Bentonville square, then turn right in front of the Benton County Courthouse, followed by a left on Second Street. The parade ends at Old High Middle School.
Be on the lookout for Santa and his sleigh, story time with Mrs. Claus inside a nearby cafe, pony and camel rides on the square, 1 to 3 p.m., and a Salvation Army truck accepting toys to help families struggling to make ends meet.
Note: Street parking around the square and parts of Main and Second streets will be closed. Bleachers are available on the square.
For more information, call 254-0254.
Source: Downtown Bentonville Inc.
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