The Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade & Christmas Festival

Much like Dr. Seuss’s fictional town of Whoville, the small city of Lebanon, Ohio, magically transforms into a holiday wonderland when their Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade and Christmas Festival ushers in the season the first Saturday in December. The charming and historic Midwestern city, with a population of about 21,000, has been hosting this exceedingly festive equestrian event for over 30 years.

A Belgian horse pulls a wagon full of Christmas revelers at the Lebanon, Ohio Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade and Christmas Festival.

Roscoe the Belgian from Voss Run Farms in Cincinnati, Ohio, pulls a wagon full of Christmas revelers. Voss Run Farm, which has been operating for 50 years, is owned by Heidi and Gary Voss. (All photos taken at the Lebanon, Ohio 2021 Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade.) Photo by MacMillan Photography

On that first Saturday in December, Lebanon hosts over 100 parade entries, all of them pulled by equines, and over 100,000 visitors who flock in early to claim their spot to view the horses and carriages. There are two parade times: a daylight parade at 1 p.m. and a twinkle-light one at 7 p.m. The entire city gets into the spirit with entertainment, wagon rides, a living nativity, a craft and food fair, visits with Santa, happenings at the library and local churches, and more.

The parade features all sizes and breeds of equines, ranging from draft horses to Minis, as well as donkeys and mules, pulling a wide array of horse-drawn conveyances. All rigs must pass a pre-parade safety check and be accompanied by grooms walking alongside.

Get Our Free Weekly Enewsletter About Horses

: Draft mules Tom and John pull a wheelchair-accessible wagon, built by Thomas Welding in Georgetown, Ohio, driven by Gorman Heritage Farm Harness Club member Jenny Simonton. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: Two oh-so-cute donkey cart entries from the Stewart Family Farm are driven by young family members. According to mom Cathy Stewart, their farm has mules, donkeys, horses and airplanes! Photo by MacMillan Photography

: Ron Crist driving his family’s six-horse Haflinger hitch pulling an original Earl George show wagon in the afternoon parade. Photo by MacMillan Photography

The Humble Beginning of the Christmas Parade

Pat South, who was the Lebanon Chamber of Commerce president when the idea for a parade came up in the late 1980s, explains how it started.

“We wanted to establish some holiday events in beautiful downtown Lebanon to showcase the businesses around town and to entertain,” she says. “In 1988, we had a trial run, thinking that we liked the idea of horse-drawn carriages, and had a small event with maybe eight horses. The next year, we decided that we had hit on something and had our first official parade. We wanted it to be all horse-drawn carriages; we didn’t want any other types of entries. We had 15 or 20 units that first year and a crowd of maybe 15,000.”

: Beth Hery drives her 12-year-old Morgan gelding Bear to a late 1800s Demarest Surry in the evening parade. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: This adorable mini donkey sports a “Rudolph-esque” red nose and is driven by Cathy Stewart of Stewart Family Farm. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: A 19-year-old Standardbred gelding named Velvet driven by owner Janice Panek of Fayetteville, Ohio. Velvet was adopted through New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program. The carriage is an Amish surrey. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: A Cinderella carriage pulled by a 20-hand Percheron gelding, owned by Russ Rager of Martinsville, Ohio, was driven by Michelle Cain. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: A surrey with fringe on top is pulled by a Paint Horse named Toby representing Heavenward Farm and Horsemanship of Morrow, Ohio. The driver is Heavenward Executive Director Carole Bower, with Assistant Program Director Jaime Reeves walking alongside. Photo by MacMillan Photography

South credits city officials and local law enforcement for their wonderful support of the event and explains how the festival evolved into what it is today.

“The next few years, the spectator attendance climbed by 10,000 or more each year, and then at some point it jumped up to near 100,000 by 1992,” she says. “By [that point], our parade entries had climbed to near 40 and it just continued from there. The town picked up the theme of decorating with miniature white lights downtown, so at nightfall, it looked like glittery stars and glistening icicles. It was an instant success.”

Something for Everyone

Located in the rolling hills of southwestern Ohio about halfway between Dayton and Cincinnati, Lebanon’s streets are decked with holiday decorations on parade day. Festival visitors can check names off their holiday shopping lists at boutique shops and antique stores. Food vendors offer tempting treats, including peppermint frozen custard, hot chocolate, kettle corn and roasted almonds.

History buffs will delight in seeing the circa-1803 Golden Lamb Inn, which has hosted the likes of Charles Dickens and at least 12 U.S. presidents, and the Greek Revival-style Glendower Mansion, built in 1836, both swathed in full holiday garb.

: Finch Creek Farms LLC’s black Percheron geldings, Larry and Lyle, driven by Katie Finkes-Turner, pulling a “people mover” wagon. Finch Creek Farms (Xenia, Ohio) patriarch Reinhold Finkes had rave reviews for this dashing pair. “We’ve been in the parade for 23 years with total of 16 horses, but these two are pretty special.” Photo by MacMillan Photography

: Haflingers Patty and Casey are driven by Garth Louth in the evening parade. The horses are owned by the Alvie Louth family of Rockford, Ohio, who custom-built the red, white and blue wagon. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: The Olde Tyme Clydesdale six-horse hitch has been participating in the Lebanon Parade for 28 years. Driven by owner Deborah Bechstein, the lead horses in the hitch are (from the driver’s perspective) Lila, left side, age 4, and Mona, right side, age 10. Swing horses are Lola, left side, age 7, and Molly, right side, age 13. The wheelers are Leanie, left side, age 4, and 8-year-old Finn, the only gelding in the hitch, on the right. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: Diana Dumford of Oxford, Ohio, brought her two white Miniature Horses, Missy and Chief, decked in full holiday regalia. Photo by MacMillan Photography

: Dr. Seuss’ Grinch rides on the back of a cart pulled by miniature donkey Festus, driven by his owner Kristina Valentine. They represented the Clark County Chapter of the Ohio Horseman’s Council. Photo by MacMillan Photography

And what of Seuss’s Mr. Grinch, the curmudgeonly character who crept into Whoville to steal Christmas in the story? If parade goers look closely, they are likely to see him riding in one of the carriages along with cheerfully waving Santa and Mrs. Claus in another. It’s all part of the horsey holiday fun!

Planning Your Trip to the Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade & Christmas Festival

◆ The parade is free and open to the public, although reserved box seating near the viewing stand can be purchased.

◆ Local volunteers wearing green vests will be on duty for crowd control and to answer questions.

◆ Free public parking lots and on-street parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Some local businesses and charities offer prime pay-to-park spots as well.

◆ Make hotel and dining reservations well in advance of parade day.

◆ Arrive early for the best viewing opportunities. Bring chairs and blankets and dress for the weather.

◆ Download parking and parade route maps ahead of time here.

This article about the Lebanon Horse-Drawn Carriage Parade & Christmas Festival appeared in the November/December 2022 issue of Horse Illustrated magazine. Click here to subscribe!