RIP: Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade

END OF A CHRISTMAS TRADITION: BAWCOMVILLE REDNECK CHRISTMAS PARADE WILL NOT RETURN FOR ITS 20TH YEAR

After 19 Years of Bringing Christmas Cheer to the Bawcomville Community, New Parish Regulations and Safety Requirements Bring a Beloved Tradition to an End

BAWCOMVILLE, LA — October 23, 2026

For 19 years, the Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade has brought laughter, joy, and Christmas cheer to thousands of families as it made its way through the streets of Bawcomville, Louisiana, on the first Saturday of December.

What began as a small-town celebration quickly became a beloved Christmas tradition, bringing together neighbors, families, and friends from all walks of life. More importantly, it became an opportunity for our community to come together and make Christmas a little brighter for families facing difficult times.

It is with heavy hearts and profound disappointment that Mann Family Charities announces there will not be a 20th Annual Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade in 2026.

This difficult decision follows the adoption of Ordinance No. 9555 by the Ouachita Parish Police Jury on August 20, 2026, along with significant public safety concerns raised by the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office (OPSO), which has recommended that the parade be discontinued.

A PARADE BUILT AROUND WORKING-CLASS TRADITIONS

The Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade was never intended to be an extravagant production. It was created with the hardworking, blue-collar families of our community in mind.

Its character, charm, and reputation were built around the very things that made it different from traditional Christmas parades.

Riding lawn mowers, four-wheelers, side-by-sides, golf carts, homemade floats, and creatively decorated vehicles were not simply parade entries. They were part of the identity of Bawcomville and a celebration of the hardworking people who call this community home.

Unfortunately, the newly adopted ordinance directly affects the types of vehicles that helped make this parade what it has been for nearly two decades.

Ordinance No. 9555, Article II, Special Event Permits, Section 18.4, states:

“Riding lawn mowers, all-terrain vehicles, utility terrain vehicles, side-by-side vehicles, golf carts, dirt bikes, and other vehicles designed primarily for off-road recreational and/or grounds maintenance shall not be operated as a participant-vehicle, float, or other unit in a parade while the parade is conducted upon or travels along any public roadway.”

While we recognize the importance of public safety and the responsibility of local officials to protect parade participants and spectators, this ordinance eliminates many of the very things that made the Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade unique.

This was a parade created for everyday, hardworking people. It was never about who had the biggest float, the most expensive decorations, or the fanciest equipment. It was about showing up, having fun, and giving back to the community.

INCREASED SAFETY REQUIREMENTS MAKE CONTINUATION UNFEASIBLE

In addition to the newly adopted ordinance, the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office has expressed significant concerns regarding the safety and management of an event of this magnitude.

The existing parade route includes approximately 42 intersections, which have historically been monitored and controlled with the assistance of approximately 22 volunteer reserve law enforcement officers provided by OPSO.

As attendance and participation have grown, OPSO has expressed that the current level of law enforcement is no longer sufficient to safely manage the event.

The additional safety measures discussed include increasing law enforcement coverage by Mann Family Charities hiring approximately 100 officers and placing concrete barricades and heavy equipment at all 42 intersections along the parade route.

These requirements would create a substantial financial and logistical burden that Mann Family Charities cannot reasonably sustain while continuing to fulfill the parade’s original charitable purpose.

Ultimately, the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office has recommended that the parade be discontinued due to these safety concerns.

We respect the responsibility of law enforcement to protect the public. However, the combination of the newly adopted ordinance and the additional security measures has made it impossible for our organization to continue the parade in the manner and spirit in which it was created.

IT WAS NEVER ABOUT THE PARADE. IT WAS ABOUT THE PEOPLE.

Since its beginning, the Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade has served a purpose far greater than entertainment.

Through parade entry fees, donations, and the generosity of participants and supporters, Mann Family Charities has been able to provide Christmas assistance to less fortunate families throughout our community.

Food for Christmas dinner. Toys for children. Clothing for families in need.

These were the reasons behind the parade.

Entry fees were intentionally kept affordable so that anyone who wanted to participate could do so. We never wanted financial circumstances to prevent someone from being part of an event centered on giving back.

With the significant additional costs associated with the proposed safety requirements, the funds traditionally used to support families would instead be consumed by the expenses of staging the parade.

That is not what this parade was created to do, and it is not what Mann Family Charities stands for.

We refuse to lose sight of the very reason this tradition began.

The Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade was never about publicity, recognition, or seeing how large we could make it.

It was always about community.

A HEARTFELT THANK YOU FOR 19 INCREDIBLE YEARS

To every family who stood along the streets of Bawcomville, every child who waved with excitement, every participant who decorated a float, every volunteer who gave their time, and every individual or business who contributed to helping families in need — THANK YOU.

You are the reason this parade became something so special.

For 19 years, we watched our community come together in ways that reminded us what Christmas is truly about: love, generosity, fellowship, and giving to those who need it most.

While we are deeply saddened that we will not be celebrating our 20th year together, we are incredibly proud of what this community has accomplished.

Mann Family Charities explored alternatives in an effort to preserve this tradition. Unfortunately, those efforts did not result in a workable solution to allow the parade to continue.

We sincerely wish the outcome could have been different.

Although the parade may be coming to an end, our commitment to helping families in need will not.

The memories created over the past 19 years will forever be part of Bawcomville’s history.

And while the streets may be quieter on the first Saturday of December this year, we hope the spirit of generosity that made this parade possible will continue to live on in our community.

Because at the end of the day, it was never about the floats, the four-wheelers, or the crowds.

It was about neighbors helping neighbors.

It was about giving children a Christmas they might not otherwise have had.

It was about Bawcomville.

And that is something no ordinance can ever take away.

With sincere appreciation,

Mann Family Charities
Organizers of the Bawcomville Redneck Christmas Parade