San Diegans will officially ring in the holiday season this Saturday when the 69th annual Mother Goose Parade fills the streets of El Cajon.
With floats galore, the festive celebration begins at 10 a.m. on Main and Ballantyne streets, with the procession ultimately making its way to the bridge on Johnson Avenue near Parkway Plaza mall. The parade includes a Mother Goose “queen” and her court, but culminates with an ornate float ridden by none other than Santa Claus and his reindeer.
Spectators can watch the procession from along the streets. Organizers say the following streets will be closed off to vehicle traffic to accommodate crowds watching the parade:
- Ballantyne - from Madison to Main
- Avocado - Main to Lexington
- Park - Magnolia to Ballantyne
- Main - Ballantyne to Johnson
- Johnson - Main to Fletcher Parkway
- Arnele - Johnson to Jackman
- Jackman - Arnele to Petree
The streets will shut down beginning at 7:30 a.m. They will reopen after the parade, beginning around 12 p.m.
The Mother Goose Parade began nearly seven decades ago as a project by a group of El Cajon businessmen. The men wanted to provide a gift to the “children of East County” by putting on a parade that would be loved by kids and adults alike. Today, the event is known to many locals as the unofficial start of the holiday season in San Diego.
