Oswestry Christmas Parade 2023

Saturday 2nd December 2023

Starting at 11.00 am

Wow, what a Christmas parade

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Oswestry’s big Christmas Parade was certainly an event to remember with a record number of floats and bumper crowds lining the streets. It was, in the words of Borderland Rotary President, Andy Boroughs, “It’s what wonderful memories are made of”.

The parade had over 50 floats this year and the festive level was off the scale with the streets thronged with merrymakers cheering and clapping as each vehicle went past and the children on the floats giving it their all, singing, dancing, and throwing treats to the expectant crowds.

Andy Boroughs continued, “It made me very proud to be a small part of this great endeavour and I was blown away by the enthusiasm of everyone involved – the clubs, the companies, the children and of course all the people who turned out and gave so generously. I do want to thank Olly Rose, Oswestry town mayor, for working with me to choose the winning floats but I have to say, every float should have won a prize”.

Lots of work goes into organising such a large event and few work harder to make it happen than Jonathan Jones who leads a great team from Borderland Rotary Club and beyond.

The winning floats are:

* Best commercial – Dapper Dogs

   * * Best non-commercial – Hope House

   * * Best Youth – Dance School of Rock

   * * Best children’s – Border Counties Gymnastics

   * * Best walking group – Oswestry in Bloom

Borderland Rotary are proud to continue this happy festivity that so many people enjoy. Immediately following "Oswestry Live" it is a great time to be in Oswestry. Many travel a distance to come in to see it, and be part of the spectacle.

Safety Marshalls organised by Borderland Rotary

Priority is for the happy enjoyment of thousands of spectators.  Bucket collections from the crowds raise money for good causes.  Local businesses also contribute, and provide a lot of support.  With pedestrians and over 50 vehicle floats, planning and safety are so important.  Rotary volunteers donate their time and experience as Safety Marshalls.

We take cash at Oswestry Christmas Parade

Borderland Rotary would like to make it clear that they will be only too happy to take cash at this Saturday’s Oswestry Christmas Parade which starts at 11am. There’s been some publicity implying that only electronic, QR code payments will be accepted but this is not the case. A Borderland spokesman said, “We set up the QR code payment system for the few people who no longer carry cash, but we will be out with buckets as usual and look forward to seeing lots of smiling faces at the parade. We’ve already had lots of cash donations from the shopkeepers and landlords around the town and we like to say a big thank you to them. Let’s hope the weather smiles on us too!” 

Every year, Borderland Rotary organise the parade for the community and to collect money for local good causes and charities, it also brings some festive fun to the town and has, in the past, attracted lots of people to the shops and bars in the town centre.

No Cash, no hassle at Christmas Parade

The Oswestry Christmas Parade, held on Saturday 2nd December, (not long now) brings joy and festive fun to the people of Oswestry and is now the biggest parade of its kind in Shropshire. It has been a local fixture for more than 20 years and of course, also raises money for local good causes and charities that find it hard to raise funds elsewhere. 

Jonathan Jones from Borderland Rotary, who organise the event, said “It’s great to see the fun, smiles and community spirit that the parade brings and the good folks of Oswestry have always been very generous but these day, people don’t carry cash so we’ve introduced a QR code which will be in shop windows on the route of the parade so that those that wish to help these good causes can pay via the QR code. Let’s just hope the weather is kind!”

Jordan Biggs, a regular at the Boar’s Head, was the first to donate via the QR code