Dowagiac’s 30th annual Candlelight Christmas Parade scheduled for December 4 at Southwestern Michigan College has been cancelled.

Even though the event had been planned as a reverse parade – with spectators driving past the parade in their own vehicles - the new mandates prevent the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce from meeting requirements for social distancing.

“Committee members on Monday reassessed the parade’s needs for staging the event, as well as the number of people, including volunteers, security, traffic control and parade unit participants, that would be onsite that night,” said Kris Soenen a member of the Parade Committee. “As a result, it was determined there is not enough space within the college’s Cherry Grove parking lot to adhere to the mandate.”