Santa Claus to ride through Greensburg on a fire truck this weekend

Coronavirus kept Santa and Mrs. Claus from making their traditional appearance in the Greensburg Holiday Parade this year, but they’ll make up for it this weekend by touring the city in a fire truck.

“With everything going on, we really wanted to bring some Christmas cheer to residents in the city,” said Lydia Kinkaid, program manager for the city’s recreation department.

City officials last month decided to cancel the annual holiday parade due to rising coronavirus numbers, but they kept thinking of ways to celebrate the holiday.

“We wanted to come up with a different way to bring Santa to all the kids and families,” Kinkaid said.

The recreation department and fire department teamed up to make it happen.

The Clauses’ fire truck will tour the city’s 1st, 2nd and 6th wards on Saturday, and the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 8th and 7th wards Sunday. Both trips will start at 11 a.m. and wrap up before 3 p.m.

The fire department planned a route down as many streets as possible. Santa will visit every neighborhood, and drive past almost every home, according to fire department President Rick Steele.

“We want to give everyone the best chance to see when we’ll be in the neighborhood,” he said.

The fire department gained some recent experience in planning these events. The Easter Bunny took a similar tour of the city this spring, and the department held a series of mini-parades through the city.

Residents loved to see the Easter Bunny, Steele said, and he hopes they find Santa similarly thrilling.

“People were very excited, not only kids but also adults,” he said.

A tentative schedule is available on the department’s Facebook page, or residents can just listen for the music, horns and sirens signaling Santa’s arrival.

Santa will not make stops, and event organizers will wear masks and abide by social distancing, according to the fire department.

The fire truck will detour if it’s needed, so Santa may make an unplanned visit to an emergency scene, Steele said.