PETERSBURG, Va. -- The efforts to save Petersburg’s annual Christmas parade have been successful.
In fact, Petersburg Mayor Howard Myers said the matter was settled Thursday during the city's special event committee meeting to review permits and logistical matters.
City officials had talked about nixing this year's parade because of the budget crisis, but once that news spread, some business leaders, like McCray Electric and Virginia Commonwealth Bank, offered to save the parade by matching donations from the public.
As a result, the Ricky Johnson and Friends Foundation, an area non-profit, submitted paperwork to the city to take over the parade and that approved their request Thursday afternoon.
The parade is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3 along Crater Road.