Egg Harbor parade welcomes all as group rings in 2026 with creativity and camaraderie

EGG HARBOR (WLUK) — 2026 in Door County kicked off the brand new yr with a enjoyable custom.

People got here out for the annual Egg Harbor New Year’s Day parade.

Parade floats of every kind lined as much as put together for the annual occasion, even in bitter chilly and windy circumstances.

“There’s some hardy souls up here, lots of people, lots of fun, I really enjoy it,” Egg Harbor New Year’s Day Parade participant Sarah Sawyer stated.

This yr marked 50 years because the custom started in Egg Harbor.

Mark Sawyer and his household have been a part of the parade for 45 years.

“It’s just something that’s a tradition,” Sawyer stated. “It’s good for the community, you got the polar bear plunge, you have this going on, it’s something for the people that are up in this area to do on this weekend if they want to.”

Sawyer’s float at all times has folks in swimsuits soaking in a sizzling tub.

For others, being a part of the occasion is an all new expertise for them.

“We wanted to join the parade, we came last year and we got to watch it and we were like ‘oh we got to come back next year and join,'” participant Lisa Johnson stated.

The distinctive a part of this parade is {that a} massive fancy float is not essential and anybody can be part of within the enjoyable.

“It’s a Chevy Silverado purchased last summer filled with three, four different families of kids so yeah we’re very excited to be here,” Johnson stated.

From youngsters to younger dad and mom and even older adults, it is a custom that brings so many individuals collectively and lets creativity go above and past.

“We have all these little girls who are going to sing ‘Let it go.’ 2025, let it go, 2026 come, so they’re all gonna sing ‘Let it go,'” participant Kaaren Northrop stated.

Parade attendees stated it is simply enjoyable to get out within the recent air with household and there is one thing for everybody.

“It’s cold, that’s for sure. It’s really fun because I like acrobatic stuff and all that and I also like candy so that’s why I came,” parade attendee Charlotte Szesny stated.

The parade marched by way of the village on Highway 42 and lasted solely round quarter-hour.

No matter how younger you’re, it is by no means too early to take part in what’s really a parade for the entire group.

“We were joking about it because it’s so short we were thinking ‘hey, why don’t we just hop in,'” attendee Jace Bushweiler stated.