Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce
Attendees of the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai parade gather around the bonfire outside the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center.

Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce Attendees of the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai parade gather around the bonfire outside the Kenai Visitors and Cultural Center.

Christmas back in a big way

Kenai’s annual holiday festivities draw crowds

Christmas came to Kenai in a big way last weekend with the Kenai Chamber of Commerce hosting its biggest Christmas parade yet, as well as an expanded fireworks display to cap Friday night’s festivities.

Brittany Brown, executive director of the Kenai Chamber Commerce, said Tuesday said 12 floats participated in this year’s parade — the most parade participants in the event’s history. This parade traditionally draws fewer participants than Kenai’s Fourth of July parade, Brown said, but this year it was one of the only community events not canceled due to the pandemic, so people jumped at the opportunity.

“I think it turned out amazing,” Brown said. “Despite the circumstances with our economy and with the pandemic, I couldn’t have asked for a better event to take place. There were so many folks I got emails and calls from, and even in conversations during the event, people felt like it was the first time in a really long time that life was just a tad bit normal.”

The event took place entirely outside this year in order to limit the potential spread of COVID-19. Even though no hot chocolate could be given out, Odie’s donated individually wrapped cookies that were distributed by masked and gloved chamber employees. Brown said the weather was warm for the middle of winter, and it snowed just enough to give the kids a hill for sliding.

Three of the floats were chosen as parade winners by the chamber’s board of directors based on creativity and correlation to their business. This year’s winners were Denali Family Dentistry, Kenai Peninsula Driving Instruction and Stichel Racing.

After the parade had made its way down Frontage Road, a fireworks show was put on by the City of Kenai and local transportation company Weaver Brothers, Inc.

Brown said that the City of Kenai allocated a little bit extra for its fireworks budget this year in order to give the community something to celebrate, and the expanded light show could be seen from almost everywhere in the city.

“I want to give a huge shoutout to all of our sponsors and the folks who came out,” Brown said. “It’s a huge thing for the community, and it’s amazing that people decided to put in the money to provide this opportunity for everybody.”

Fireworks are set off during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks are set off during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks can be seen across the Kenai River during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks can be seen across the Kenai River during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks are set off during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks are set off during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Photos courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce
The 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade travels down Frontage Road in Kenai on Friday.

Photos courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce The 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade travels down Frontage Road in Kenai on Friday.

Floats participate in the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Floats participate in the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks can be seen across the Kenai River during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Fireworks can be seen across the Kenai River during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Santa Claus waves to the crowd atop a City of Kenai fire truck during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

Santa Claus waves to the crowd atop a City of Kenai fire truck during the 2020 Christmas Comes to Kenai Parade on Nov. 27, 2020. (Photo courtesy Brittany Brown/Kenai Chamber of Commerce)

More in News

Erin Thompson (courtesy)
Erin Thompson to serve as regional editor for Alaska community publications

Erin Thompson is expanding her leadership as she takes on editorial oversight… Continue reading

A woman stands with her sign held up during a rally in support of Medicaid and South Peninsula Hospital on Wednesday, June 18, 2025 in Homer, Alaska. (Chloe Pleznac/Homer News)
Homer residents rally in support of South Peninsula Hospital and Medicaid

The community gathered on Wednesday in opposition to health care cuts that threaten rural hospitals.

Hunter Kirby holds up the hatchery king salmon he bagged during the one-day youth fishery on the Ninilchik River on Wednesday, June 7, 2023 in Ninilchik, Alaska. Photo by Mike Booz
Ninilchik River closed to sport fishing

The closure is in effect from June 23 through July 15.

Señor Panchos in Soldotna, Alaska, is closed on Wednesday, June 4, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Soldotna restaurant owner remains in ICE custody; federal charges dropped

Francisco Rodriguez-Rincon was accused of being in the country illegally and falsely claiming citizenship on a driver’s license application.

Brent Johnson speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough to provide maximum funding for school district

The Kenai Peninsula Borough School District will receive less money from the state this year than it did last year.

Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion
Pool manager and swim coach Will Hubler leads a treading water exercise at Kenai Central High School on Tuesday.
Pools, theaters, libraries in jeopardy as cuts loom

The district issued “notices of non-retention” to all its pool managers, library aides and theater technicians.

A sockeye salmon is pictured in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Fishing slow on Russian River, improving on Kenai

Northern Kenai fishing report for Tuesday, June 17.

Josiah Kelly, right, appears for a superior court arraignment at the Kenai Courthouse in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Anchor Point man accepts plea deal for November shootings

Buildings operated by a local health clinic and an addiction recovery nonprofit were targeted.

Most Read