The 56th Annual Adoration Parade and Lighting Ceremony was held Sunday, December 5, 2004 in historic downtown Branson Missouri. Scheduled parade participants included 18 bands and 30 float and walking units.

The new parade route went off without a hitch, according to longtime parade chairman Edd Akers of Akers & Arney Insurance Associates, and chairman of the Adoration Parade Committee of the Branson/Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“The rain stopped and we were able to proceed as planned with the start of the lighting and the parade, Akers said. “The new route worked out just fine as well. It really was a wonderful event and we were so pleased to see such support from our community and the visitors who came to witness this historic annual tradition.”

Winners in the band competition were: Red Division (less than 40 members), first place, Riverton High School, Riverton, Kansas; second place, Hollister High School, Hollister; and third place, Pleasant Hope High School, Pleasant Hope, Missouri. White Division (40 – 70 members), first place, Reeds Spring High School, Reeds Spring; second place, Strafford High School, Strafford, Missouri; third place, Forsyth High School, Forsyth. Blue Division (more than 70 members), first place, Joplin High School, Joplin, Missouri. Central High School was the winner in the Drum & Bugle Corp Division.

Bands were judged by Chris Ford, director of bands at Glendale High School; Leon Bradley, former director of bands at College of the Ozarks; and Korey Willnauer, former director of bands at Branson High School.

Float winners in the ‘non-profit with a religious theme’ category were: first place, Boyd Church of Oak Grove Arkansas; second place, First Baptist Church, Branson; third place, Faith Life Church, Branson.

In the ‘non-profit with a non-religious theme’ category, the winners were: first place, Branson Rotary Club; second place, (tie) Chateau on the Lake (representing Youth Life) and Branson High School Student Council; third place (tie) Boys and Girls Club of the Ozarks and Girl Scout Troop 294.

In the ‘for-profit with a religious theme’ category, the winner was Camp Little Paws, the only entrant.

In the ‘for-profit with a non-religious theme’ category, winners were: first place, The Vacation Channel; second place, Taney County Tire; and third place, Brier & Ivy Rose Quilts.

The floats were judged by June Hartley of Dick’s 5 & 10; Gayla Roten, director of the Downtown Branson Mainstreet Association; and Monica Bryan, vice-president of the Branson Arts Council Board of Directors.

Pre-parade activities began at 4 p.m. with holiday caroling by the Forsyth High School Select Choir under the direction of Phillip Matney. Greg Pyron, of Hometown Radio, served as master of ceremonies and Bob Hubbard gave the invocation.

Ambrus Leigh, of Presleys’ Country Jubilee, sang “Silent Night” accompanied by cast member John Presley on keyboards, while the giant Nativity scene atop Mt. Branson was illuminated. Leigh is a junior at Branson High School and the great-granddaughter of one of the early parade organizers, more than 50 years ago.

Commentary on the Adoration Parade and Lighting Ceremony was broadcast live on KOMC, 100.1 FM. The event was also taped for broadcast on The Vacation Channel, and will air Tuesday, Dec. 7 and Wednesday, Dec. 8 at 8pm.

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