Crowded sidewalks endanger parade

The Fallbrook Christmas Parade scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7 is the 43rd time the event has been planned, but there is now some uncertainty that it will happen that has nothing to do with the weather.

While setting out chairs to save spots has become a tradition in itself, not every sidewalk is wide enough to allow for pedestrian traffic behind the chairs. And that could be a problem.

A resident reported to the Village News this afternoon that the Fallbrook Chamber of Commerce has been warned that the county may cancel tomorrow's Christmas parade if downtown sidewalks are blocked by chairs set out to save spaces for the parade.

Chamber CEO Lila Hargrove said, "This is a new stipulation placed on the permit due to complaints of blocked sidewalks last year. People could not safely navigate the sidewalk because of the numerous chairs on what are already narrow sidewalks."

Signs had already been posted on some of the chairs warning residents of the stipulation. Hargrove added, "We are educators. We are not enforcers. All we can do is place signs for education and hope that through our efforts we can continue to hold a parade."

When asked if anyone was going around to move chairs that could be a problem, she said, "I am not aware of anyone moving or removing chairs. This would be a monumental task. The county would just cancel this year and/or not allow us to have a parade next year."

Besides which, the chamber is swamped with all the details of putting on "the biggest nighttime parade in North County," Hargrove said.