GALLERY: Santa Claus is coming to town, riding in 2023 Santa parade
Published 2:51 pm Saturday, December 23, 2023
- Santa Claus (Sim Mosby) waves from a convertible while riding around the Main Street Christmas tree. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
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NATCHEZ — What is that sound of sirens I hear?
One might think Santa rides on a sleigh with the sound of bells jingling all the way. But in the warm, rural Mississippi city of Natchez, he takes a convertible instead with a police escort.
Santa Claus is visiting many different neighborhoods today in the Santa Claus Committee’s annual Santa Parade, a unique Christmas tradition found only in Natchez.
Usually on Christmas Eve, the parade takes place this year on Dec. 23 because the Santa Committee never rides on Sundays.
Hundreds of children from ages one to 92 were ready to greet Santa as he came riding through their neighborhood.
The gallery below shows scenes from the festivities.
- Santa rides in a fully decorated convertible. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa waves in the parade on Saturday.(Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- Ritchie Montgomery throws candy in the Santa parade on Saturday. Law enforcement officials and the mayor join Santa Claus in the parade on Saturday to show area children that Santa and the law are friends. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- Families pick up candy from the street during Natchez’s annual Santa Claus parade on Saturday. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Little Bella waves while she gathers candy on the side of the road during the Santa Claus parade on Saturday. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa Claus waves in the parade. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa Claus waves in the parade. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Honorary Santa Claus family members Sam and Cole Mosby wear custom-made suits in the Santa parade. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa Claus Committee paraders rest and eat refreshments at the first stop of the parade on N. Commerce Street. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa takes a break at the first stop of the parade. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Natchez Police Chief Cal Green waves from the Santa parade. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten also rides in the parade.(Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Local joggers stand by waving as the parade passes through downtown Natchez. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Paraders include mostly men in business suits instead of Santa’s elves and reindeer. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa Claus Committee members throw candy to parade watchers. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa Claus (Sim Mosby) waves from a convertible while riding around the Main Street Christmas tree. (Sabrina Robertson | The Natchez Democrat)
- Law enforcement officials and the mayor join Santa Claus in the parade on Saturday to show area children that Santa and the law are friends. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- From left, Natchez Mayor Dan Gibson, Concordia Parish Sheriff Office Chief Fred Middleton and Sheriff David Hedrick, Santa, Adams County Sheriff Travis Patten, Major Shane Daugherty, (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa and Mrs. Claus (Sim and Betsy Mosby)
- Santa boards the official ride of the Santa Claus parade, minus the reindeer. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- Santa family, Cole, Betsy, Sim (Santa), and Sam Mosby. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)
- I saw Mama kissin’ Santa Claus. (Ben Hillyer | The Natchez Democrat)