BLOOMINGTON - The roads were slick and even the airport runways were closed Saturday morning, but the Christmas parade finally managed to deliver Santa Claus to downtown Bloomington, thanks to some help from a salt truck. | Photo gallery | Video

"Santa is downtown. I would call this a success - a frightening success - but a success," parade coordinator Emilie Schukai said as the parade ended around 11:30 a.m.

Organizers of the 78th annual Jaycees Christmas Parade cautioned participants to be careful on the slippery streets. Some took that advice and left the route early while the parade waited in the rain for a salt truck to arrive.

Even Santa's mother was worried about the ice-covered sidewalks that lined the parade route from Kingsley Junior High School in Normal to downtown Bloomington.

"He's lucky he's going to be in a fire truck," said Joyce Pankonen as she stood with family members in the city parking garage on Market Street to wait for the parade. She came from Downers Grove to watch her son, Tom Pankonen, play Santa Claus.

"It was extremely slick getting here, but anything for Santa Claus," said Joyce Pankonen.

Schukai made the decision early Saturday to have the parade step off at 10 a.m. as planned.

"It's our 78th year and we haven't canceled yet," said Schukai. "I just hope people don't fall down. We're telling people to line up in front of their windows if they can't come out."

Seven members of the McLean County Composite Squad of the Civil Air Patrol, the color guard leading the parade, cheered as trucks sprayed salt ahead them on the route.

"It's super slick out there. We're very concerned about falling," said Lori Devore, squadron captain.

Ken Flener, with the Fr. Carmody Knights of Columbus from Normal, displayed a Christian message for the holidays on his pickup truck in Saturday's parade.

"Keep Christ in Christmas," read the sign posted on the truck carrying statues of Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus.

"This is part of our Nativity scene we put up every year at Epiphany Church. We want people to remember the message," said Flener as he waited to move into the parade line.

Small crowds, shorter parade

The turnout for the parade was sparse, with a few small groups of people scattered along the route.

The parade grew shorter as it approached downtown Bloomington.

"People started to disband around Chestnut and Market streets because of the ice. The streets hadn't been salted yet. I told people I didn't want anyone having any safety concerns," said Schukai.

She said fewer than half of the units left the parade at the bottom of the hill near Market Street.

The hill that starts where Center Street crosses Market Street proved to be too slick for the floats and walkers, so the parade paused for half an hour, waiting for a salt truck.

After salt was applied to Center, the remainder of the parade finished the route and delivered Santa to his scheduled appearance at the old McLean County Courthouse for another holiday event.

The downtown parking garage, which lines Center on the west side of the hill, sheltered about a dozen people who waited for the parade.

Matt Speers of Bloomington was enjoying the impromptu sidewalk skating rink outside the garage where his family took shelter.

"We come to the parade every year. Just being here is fun," said Speers.