Raleigh’s Christmas Parade – Let the Children Participate!

Chris Crew was born in Morganton, NC and moved to Raleigh in 1964. He’s been a resident of Historic Oakwood since 1975.

Educated at NCSU and UNC-Chapel Hill and is retired from Public Safety. Preservationist, Cook, Trombonist, Brewer, Choirboy, Grandfather.

Chris spoke to City Council November 12, 2025:

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen,

I’ve come before you almost monthly for the last three years to cajole and plead for consideration of preservation principles in your decision making and tonight, I am pleased to congratulate and thank you for taking positive action to secure the future of TWO historic structures—the iconic Hillsborough Street Holiday Inn, and the fabulous Dr. Morley and Carol Kare house. Well done!

Incidentally, just over fifty years ago, the Raleigh City Council voted to declare Oakwood Raleigh’s first local historic district.

I also plead for your assistance in preserving one of Raleigh’s greatest cultural events—the Raleigh Christmas Parade—bigger than Atlanta’s!

Christmas and Christmas Parades are for CHILDREN.

I’ve participated since I was a Cub Scout, Choir Boy and School Safety Patrol member as a kid. I’ve not missed participating with a civic group in the last 40 years.

I sat next to Hailey Brooks’ father in 2022 as he pleaded that you not eliminate the parade following his daughter’s tragic death. I am here to ask you to reconsider the banning of participation by the under-8 set unless they are on a vehicle.

By doing so, you have effectively closed the opportunity to many children who don’t have a ride.

LET THE CHILDREN participate.

If we lose the youngest set, we lose the seed corn of future parades and our historic tradition will suffer and fade.

Finally, let’s really work on the update of the Comp Plan and its careful integration with the UDO so that we’re not spending time debating 3 to 7 profit-driven zoning changes every month instead of building on a comprehensive and cohesive community vison for the future of the great city our offspring will populate.

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