Behind The Scenes of Santa Claus Lane

The Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Olean sponsor the Annual Santa Claus Lane Parade and Celebration.  The parade is scheduled for Friday, November 23, 2007, in downtown Olean.  The parade will begin at 7 PM at Delaware on North Union Street and will stop at the four corners (Union and State Street intersection) where Santa and Mrs. Claus will officially turn on the lights that lit up Lincoln Park, North Union Street and West and East State Streets.  The parade, which lasts about an hour, involves more than hundred volunteers - from the parade coordinators, to the decoration lighters, to the public works crew, police and fire department staff.  The parade and the lighting couldn't be done without all their assistance.

Below is the behind the scenes story of how the Santa Claus Lane Parade goes on each year. 

Each January, the GOACC staff and City crews undecorate Lincoln Park and the decorations that light up the streets.  These decorations are stored in a warehouse near the water plant on River Street.  The decorations are in storage until about April.

In April, GOACC with many volunteers go over to the warehouse twice a week to check out the inventory, refurbish the decorations, and to check the lights.  These shelves hold most of the supplies and tools that are needed for the refurbishing.  Supplies include: new 50 foot garlands waiting to be attached; C-7 and C-9 light bulbs in almost every color of the rainbow; hog rings that attach the garland to the metal wire; extra bulbs for the pole trees; electrical tape; pliers; screwdrivers; safety glasses; hundreds of extension cords; and more

This photo shows the US Flag, donated by the City of Olean Fire Department, the Santa riding the Harley, and the Rocking Horse.  Those figurines are awaiting someone to check all the bulbs.  Each figurine is checked to make sure that the lights are lit BEFORE they leave the warehouse.  However, due to transportation and delivery, some lights are not lit once down at Lincoln Park.  The volunteers again do a visual check of the lights on Decorate Day to make sure each figurine is lit for all to enjoy!

Every other pole along East and West State Streets has a Christmas tree or yellow star attached to it.  About 40 trees and 40 stars have their lights checked.  Also, the Christmas trees have red ornament bulbs attached - many fall each winter and need to be reattached.

On North and South Union Streets, there are 100 foot garlands that hang from side to side.  These garlands are actually two 50 feet pieces, with each side attached to one side of the street, and meet in the middle attached to a smaller yellow star.  If you ever walked down Union Street, the first garland is attached near Lincoln Park, and the last one is near Delaware Park Center.  All in all, there are eighteen garlands, which means 36 garlands to check each year.  Two years ago, GOACC decided to change the garlands on about four (two on each side) each year.  This way, in about 5 years, all garlands would have been changed.  Those garlands get a beating on windy Union Street, not counting the snow and sleet that hit the garlands, too!  Also, by changing a few each year, the GOACC staff and volunteers wouldn't have to change all 36 in any year.

However, each garland needs to be checked.  The garlands are strung between two arches, so that they hang off the ground, making it easier to check.  The checking of the garlands include: tying the guide rope together; checking and replacing the bulbs; taking off worn garland (which is then recycled onto another decoration); making sure the wire doesn't droop; and making sure connections look good and tight.  Oh, and lastly, and most importantly, making sure that the garland (whether it is the plug side or not) goes back into the correct box for ease of hanging the garland.

  The box of bulbs to the left is C-9 bulbs - these bulbs are replacements for the garland bulbs, the pole trees and pole star bulbs, and some strings of lights.  In 2004, the refurbishing was done at the then city-owned building on South Union.  Last year, the refurbishing was done at the old water plant (located behind the new water plant).  When the decorations were taken down this year, they were placed in the current refurbishing place on River Street.  This is by far the best place for storage and refurbishing.  There is ample room for all the decorations to be placed neatly and carefully for storage, and lighting is not an issue here.  Through the three moves, however, GOACC found a bunch of C-9s.  After each refurbishing, an inventory is done of what is needed for the following years.  There is enough C-9s to last us for several parades to come!

Santa Claus Lane added twelve cone shaped trees to its lighting celebration in 1995.  Through donations from area businesses, these trees (materials) were purchased and then created by students at Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES.  In 2005, the trees had lights on them.  This year, we recycled some of the garlands and decorated the trees in shiny colorful garlands for all to enjoy.

This box contains GOACC staff's favorite tool for decorating -- they call it a T -- but it basically gives you the ability to plug in three cords to one outlet.  This elimates the need for more extension cords, and also allows the decorators to really light up a bush or a tree.

Many area organizations and clubs assist GOACC every year to decorate Lincoln Park.  The Rotary Club of Olean actually funded the creation of the gazebo in Lincoln Park, so each year, the Rotary Club decorates the gazebo.  In 2005, we added these colorful candy canes that went around the gazebo.  Each year, GOACC adds a little bit more to the park!

The Decorate the Park Day is usually set for early November - we encourage you and your group to become a part of the decorating committee.  More details can be found on DECORATE THE PARK DAY.

After November, GOACC staff goes around Lincoln Park and connects all the lights back to the power source.  The staff also makes sure that cords are at a minimum because many visitors like wandering through the park.  Once the lights are connected, we check the lights at different times leading up to the parade.  We want to make sure all lights and figurines are working when Santa has the lights turned on.

Meanwhile, the 40 trees and stars and the 18 garland sets are taken from the warehouse by City of Olean employees to be hung on the light poles on Union and State Streets.  The city also receives assistance from Time Warner Cable and their bucket truck to hang the garlands.  This is a very important job for the Santa Claus Lane celebration.

The City electricians are also busying ensuring the garlands and trees and stars are connected and will also light up for the Parade.

The Santa Claus Lane Parade and Celebration is almost a year-long process with many volunteers 'behind the scenes' making sure all is set for Santa and Mrs. Claus.  We couldn't do the parade without these volunteers and without the help from the City of Olean.  "Santa Claus Lane, and particularly the Parade, has become a tradition for the greater Olean area and western New York, northwestern Pennsylvania region," said John Sayegh, COO of Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce.  He added, "For many people, the parade has developed into a pilgrimage to the City of Olean on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  Since it marks the beginning of the holiday season, Santa Claus Lane draws from as far as Rochester and Buffalo to the north, Jamestown and Erie, PA from the west, Allegany and Wyoming counties to the east and McKean and Potter counties to the south.  The greater Olean area is a well-diversified community and as such, people from all walks of life and religion attend the parade to celebrate the gifts and graces of the holiday seasons.  It is truly a night when community comes together."

November 5, 2007