Newtown Borough Council voted to delay approval of the upcoming holiday parade after members raised concerns about safety, logistics, and the scale of the event.
The Newtown Business Association (NBA), the event sponsor, has promoted this year’s parade as potentially “the biggest little town holiday parade in the country.”
Organizers are expecting over 100 acts – double last year’s 52 – and estimate the parade will last three hours rather than the typical 90 minutes. Floats of significant size, licensed costumed characters, and even a potential celebrity guest were among the features described, officials said.
The NBA requested road closures from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for the December 7 parade, but the event would only be a few hours.
“Why do they need the roads closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.?” Council Member Josh Phillips asked.
Council members worried about the potential crowd a celebrity might draw, especially given social media posts advertising the parade as record-breaking.
“Is this someone that’s going to have everyone within a 30-mile radius drive to Newtown Borough to see?” Council President Emily Heinz wondered.
Parking capacity was flagged as a risk, with fears the borough could be overwhelmed.
Phillips said he worried about float height clearance given the borough’s 12-foot power line restrictions, turning radii on narrow borough streets, and capacity of bridges.
Organizers, through prior discussions, confirmed awareness of these limits and indicated floats would be insured, Heinz said.
On the question of public safety, the borough’s police department will oversee traffic and crowd control, with costs covered by the NBA.
The council tabled the decision until organizers could attend in person to answer questions directly.
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