After careful consideration, and with heavy hearts, the Christmas in the Grove parade on December 3rd at 7pm will be taking place as previously planned. The Christmas in the Grove Committee and the Chamber of Commerce met with the Village of Cottage Grove Police Department, Deer Grove EMS and the Cottage Grove Fire Department to discuss the tragic events from the Waukesha Christmas Parade.
Participants and attendees, as in years past, will continue to see public safety personnel from the Cottage Grove Police Department, Deer Grove EMS and Cottage Grove Fire Department, and safety volunteers present on the route and in the parade. The Parade Committee and the Police Department have worked collaboratively for years to provide safe parades/gatherings for our community, and the Christmas in the Grove Parade on December 3rd will be no exception.
The Cottage Grove Police Department, in conjunction with the Deer Grove EMS, Cottage Grove Fire Department, and the Cottage Grove Department of Public Works have a plan in place to ensure traffic and pedestrian safety for this parade so that this year’s holiday parade tradition continues. We are in an era where we must abandon the mentality "it won't happen here." While we have always had a strong safety and traffic mitigation plan in place prior to the recent tragic incident in Waukesha, we have enhanced our strategy for this year’s event to provide a safe experience for all involved.
We are excited to come together as a community and kick off the holiday season with all of you.