KEKA has announced the radio station will no longer present the annual Truckers Christmas Parade and is encouraging another business or community organization to take up the mantle.

A release states that issues, including rising costs, declining participation and increased liability, led to the “difficult decision.”
“While our family has put on the parade for decades, it’s become apparent that the additional challenges which have had to be met in the past few years have made this event too overwhelming for us to continue putting on,” KEKA owner Brian Papstein says in the release, which also gives a nod of appreciation to Dale Bridge, who has coordinated the parade for decades.

Read the KEKA release below:

After 30 years of presenting the annual KEKA Truckers Christmas Parade, the station has made the determination not to present the event. This decision was not made in haste, but has been considered for the past few years. Rising costs, declining community participation and increasing liability associated with actions over the parade have led to this difficult decision.

Station owner Brian Papstein commented that “While our family has put on the parade for decades, it’s become apparent that the additional challenges which have had to be met in the past few years have made this event too overwhelming for us to continue putting on. Obviously, we are hopeful that another community organization or business with the same passion we have had since 1989 will step up and continue operating this regional Christmas tradition.”

KEKA would like to thank the hundreds of businesses, organizations, sponsors and participants who have made the parade and charitable contributions raised by it possible over the years. Special appreciation is extended to long time parade coordinator Dale Bridges for his decades of dedication to the event.

If you or your organization has interest in presenting the Truckers Christmas Parade, please call 442-5744 and ask for Angie.