Belleville Santa parade called off; Santa still came to town

Due to rain, the Optimist Santa Parade scheduled for Friday morning was canceled. The parade will not be rescheduled.

However, Santa Claus still came to Belleville and visited with children Friday at Santa’s House on the Public Square. The Sing-A-Long and “lighting of the fountain” at 6 p.m. will still go on but from inside the white tent on the south side of the square.

St. Louis Cardinals mascot Fredbird, who was scheduled to be in the parade, greeted people in the tent Friday morning.

The rain didn’t deter shoppers at the opening day of the Christkindlmarkt on Belleville’s Public Square, which will run through Dec. 23.

This story was originally published November 27, 2015 at 2:16 AM with the headline "Belleville Santa parade called off; Santa still came to town."