By EMILY REED / Special to the Reporter

CHELSEA – Residents of all ages in Chelsea are invited to attend the 17th annual Christmas parade Dec. 17 at 10 a.m.

The parade begins at Chelsea Middle School and ends at Winn-Dixie featuring professional floats, amateur floats and motorized entrants.

According to the city’s website, amateur floats are encouraged and a limited number of professional floats can also be purchased.

For safety concerns, motorcycles and ATV’s may not be entered in the parade.

As an effort to reduce traffic congestion in the line-up area, all groups are required to meet at an alternate location and come to the parade line-up as a single group, according to the city’s website.

Staging for the parade will be at the Chelsea Community Center, and entrants will need to arrive at the Chelsea Community Center from Highway 47.

Those planning to walk including dance troops, scouts, bands and cheerleaders will be staged at Chelsea Middle School.

Those planning to attend are asked to not use the staging area as a drop off point.

The process of lining entrants for the parade will begin at 8 a.m.

The deadline to register for the parade is Dec. 3.

In the event of inclement weather, parade updates will be available on the city’s website.

Chelsea Mayor Tony Picklesimer said he anticipates the parade to be similar to previous years.

“I think the only difference this year is the city council is a lot younger than the previous bunch, and we will probably have more kids participate.”

Picklesimer said the parade is always a big event for the city with it impacting a large number of people.

“It is always something we really enjoy,” Picklesimer said. “As our city has grown, so has the attendance for the parade. If we have good weather it is usually a tremendous turnout. I believe I have heard it anticipated that we could have as many as 5,000 people attend this year.”

For more information about the parade, or to complete a parade registration form, visit Cityofchelsea.com or call 678-8455.