2026  48th Annual Chamber Christmas Parade & Santa Visits 

Held on the first Saturday in December is the Annual Christmas Parade beginning at 11:00am. Parade line up begins at 10:00am at the Wayland VFW Post #7581 and concludes at the Wayland Fire Department. Non-profits are eligible to win a cash prize for decorating according to the parade theme. This year's parade theme is: A Snowglobe Christmas. City Police parade rules are enforced and should be reviewed prior to participation.

Parade rules must be agreed upon prior to registering to be in the parade. These can be viewed at the bottom of this page.

Parade Sponsorships Available - To view sponsorships, please click on the Registration & Sponsorship Link

Santa Visits:
After the parade, be sure to stop back by the fire station for photos (along with hot cocoa and cookies) with Santa & Mrs. Claus! Parents are encouraged to bring their own cameras Kids are welcome to bring a picture for Santa. The chamber will feature the pictures on our Facebook page throughout December.

 Grand Marshal Press Release:
On Saturday, December 5th, the Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce will host Wayland’s 48th Annual Christmas Parade beginning at 11:00am. We are proud to announce Joe & Amy Kramer of Wayland as the Grand Marshals who will be leading the parade.

The Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce Joe and Amy Kramer as the 2026 Grand Marshals of the Wayland Christmas Parade. This year's parade will take place Saturday, December 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m., with the theme “A Snowglobe Christmas.”

Married for 45 years and residents of Wayland for the same amount of time, Joe and Amy have dedicated decades to serving their family, supporting local organizations, and making a positive difference in the community they call home. Their commitment to Wayland spans generations, and their contributions have touched countless individuals, families, and organizations throughout the area.

Joe is a 1976 graduate of Wayland Union Schools. After leaving the area for college, he returned in 1981 and has spent more than four decades giving back to the community in countless ways.

Joe worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) with Wayland Area Emergency Medical Services for 41½ years, dedicating much of his professional life to helping others during some of their most difficult moments. Although retired from his EMT career, Joe remains involved with WAEMS, serving on its Board of Directors as one of two representatives from the City of Wayland.

His commitment to the community extends well beyond his career in emergency services. Joe served as a Boy Scout leader for more than 25 years, has been a high school soccer referee for 22 years, and has served on Wayland City Council for nine years, currently holding the position of Mayor Pro Tem.

His community involvement has also included serving as AYSO 609 Referee Administrator, Wayland Union Schools Band Boosters President for six years, and Boy Scout Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster. Joe also worked as a sports writer for the Penasee Globe, coached Wayland Recreation baseball and softball, refereed recreation basketball, and remains an active member and lector at St. Therese Church.

Amy has made her own lasting contributions to the community through both her career and volunteer service. She spent 44 years working as a Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) at Allegan General Hospital, caring for others and making a difference in the lives of countless patients and families.

Amy supported her children's many activities by serving as AYSO Treasurer while they played soccer, assisting with numerous Boy Scout adventures alongside Joe during his years as Scoutmaster, and serving as Band Boosters Treasurer while their children attended high school. Her behind-the-scenes dedication helped support the activities and organizations that have been an important part of so many Wayland families' lives.

Together, Joe and Amy raised five children, all of whom are graduates of Wayland Union Schools. Three of their children currently reside in the Wayland Union Schools community as adults, and the family's Wayland school connection continues with two grandchildren currently attending Wayland Union Schools.

And while their years of service and dedication are certainly impressive, there's another local talent worth mentioning: rumor has it that Amy makes some of the best chocolate chip cookies around!

"Joe and Amy represent the very best of our community. Their years of service, commitment to local organizations, and dedication to helping others have made a lasting impact on Wayland. Their involvement spans generations, from raising their children here to now watching their grandchildren attend Wayland Union Schools. We are honored to recognize them as this year's Grand Marshals and celebrate all they have contributed to our community," said Denise Behm, Executive Director of the Wayland Area Chamber of Commerce.

In addition, the Wayland Boy Scout Troop 97 is encouraging parade spectators to bring non-perishable food items or gently used or new coats, gloves, scarfs, boots, and hats. There will be many Boy Scouts walking in the parade picking up these items along the route. Items can be handed to the Scouts as the walk by. All items will go towards the Wayland Christian Neighbors.

For those interested in a warm beverage or snack prior to the parade, Greenridge Realty office in Wayland will be set up to serve complimentary cookies, donuts, coffee, and hot chocolate to anyone who would like to enjoy something warm while waiting for the parade.

Vehicle line up begins at 10:00am and walkers line up at 10:30. Parade rules must be reviewed prior to registering and can be found in the registration link.

For parade participants, please register here: REGISTER NOW

City Police Parade Rules are as follows

By registering for the parade, you agree to the following City Parade Rules

City police parade rules are as follows.
These rules WILL be enforced.
Please do NOT register for the parade until you have read the rules.

A parade entrant which operates a vehicle or other equipment in such a way that can be dangerous (burn outs, careless/reckless driving) to spectators or other parade participants will be removed from the parade, banned from future parades and/or possibly cited by law enforcement.
NO "coal rolling" of vehicles
Four wheelers, all-terrain vehicles, and mini-racers are prohibited except in certain conditions that are pre-approved by the Wayland City Police Department.
Nothing shall be thrown from any moving vehicle.
Handing out candy or other objects is permitted by walkers only.
All dogs in the parade must be kept on leashes and held by someone strong enough to handle them.
All animals participating in the parade must be kept under control.
The parade route is one-way. No parade entrant may reverse direction.
Participants on bikes, scooters, skateboards, skates, etc. must wear a helmet and proper safety equipment. Due to safety, E-Bikes must line up with the floats, not walkers/peddle bikes.
No one may step off a vehicle, float, or any other moving piece of equipment during the parade except in an emergency.
Float riders must be completely on the float with no legs or other parts of the body hanging over the sides of the float.