In St. Albans, Vermont, Santa traded in his sleigh for a tractor at the third annual holiday tractor parade on Friday, Dec. 9. Crowds gathered to watch the parade of over 45 farm tractors decorated for the season with holiday lights and more as they made their way from the farm fields to Main Street.
The tractors, milk trucks and farm equipment came from local dairy farms and nearly doubled in number since the parade first started in 2014. The tractor parade is organized by the St. Albans Cooperative Creamery, local sponsors, as well as the dairy farmers of Franklin County. Organizers say the parade is a way to thank Vermont's farmers for all they do and to get people in the holiday spirit too.
“The St. Albans Co-op and our local farmers enjoy being able to provide the community with a fun, free family event during the holidays,” said Leon Berthiaume, CEO of the St. Albans Co-op. “And the parade gives people an opportunity to show their support for our farmers and the high-quality, nutritious dairy products that they produce locally in Vermont.”
Food donations were collected and money was raised to be donated to Northwest Family Foods, a food shelf program serving Franklin and Grand Isle counties.
Other family-friendly activities included meeting Santa and face painting.
Sponsors of the tractor parade include: 14th Star Brewing Co., Blue Seal Feeds, Candiea, Champlain Valley Equipment, Franklin County Regional Chamber of Commerce, Grainger Industrial Supply, Green Mountain Power, Hillcrest Foods, Mars Petcare, MC Logistics, the St. Albans Messenger, Top Bedding and UniFirst. 
—From St. Albans Cooperative Creamery news release
PHOTO 1: Over 45 farm tractors paraded from the farm fields to the city streets for the third annual St. Albans holiday tractor parade on Friday, Dec. 9.
PHOTO 2: The Lanphear Family Farm, the 2016 Vermont Dairy Farm of the Year, decorated their tractor for the third annual St. Albans holiday tractor parade on Friday, Dec. 9.
PHOTO 3: At the third annual St. Albans holiday tractor parade, Santa greeted children at the St. Albans Co-op Store. Photos provided by St. Albans Cooperative Creamery.
