Every year, the Mayor’s float is the highlight of the Bessemer Christmas Parade.
The 2025 Christmas Parade, sponsored by the Bessemer Area Chamber of Commerce, will take place on Saturday, December 13, at 2 p.m. in historic downtown Bessemer. The theme for this year’s parade is “A Western Christmas.”
For 30 years, Bessemer firefighter Captain Steve Parker has built the Mayor’s float for the Christmas parade. Bessemer is indeed fortunate to have such a community-minded individual as Parker.
Parker stated, “It has been a pleasure for me to build the floats and see the smiles on the faces of the children.”
This year’s Mayor’s float design will feature Toy Story, showcasing the beloved characters Woody and Buzz Lightyear. The design of the float is highly anticipated each year.
Parker begins making plans for his floats at the end of September and starts building them in early October. Battalion Chief Steve DiChiara assists Parker with the construction project.
The amiable 30-year firefighter veteran shared that his favorite float was the 2017 Lion King, which he described as a most creative design.
A truly talented man, Parker will also appear as Santa in the Bessemer Fire Department’s ladder truck during the parade.
