- December 19, 2025
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For this year’s Foolishly Festive Christmas Parade, Esplanade’s Charlie Shachat saw the 50th anniversary of “Jaws” as an opportunity.
Dressed in an inflatable shark costume and with the Jaws theme song pouring out of his boat float, Shachat entertained the crowd throughout the event on Dec. 9. Even though he has been involved in planning the biennial parade since 2017, this time it was different. He was a performer interacting with the crowd.
“I finally got to enjoy what I've been doing the whole time,” Shachat said.
Shachat and Bill Wolfe are the co-founders of the parade. They were inspired to create their own parade in 2016 when they were underwhelmed at a different holiday parade.
“Needless to say, we had a few beverages and there comes the parade, or should I say, there goes the parade,” Shachat said. “It was over in a flash.”
Shachat and Wolf decided to plan their own parade for the next year, 2017, even though they had no experience. With the idea of being “foolishly festive” they wanted everyone involved to embrace their foolish side and celebrate the Christmas season. Since then, the parade has occurred every two years — 2019, 2021, 2023 and now 2025.
The parade acts as a charitable event to support both Toys for Tots and the Lakewood Ranch High School band. Proceeds will be evenly split between the two organizations after paying other expenses. Toys for Tots will receive monetary funds plus a truckload of toy donations.
The Lakewood Ranch High band not only receives funds from the parade, but it gets to experience and perform in it.
“It's expensive to be in the band,” said Joyce North, a member of the parade committee. “You have to have your instrument, travel and uniforms. We hope that we are able to provide more students with the opportunity to be part of the band and to experience it.”
In previous years, the parade committee has done a variety of projects to raise money, including selling t-shirts and doing raffles. This year, the committee named a Mrs. and Mr. Esplanade. In order to cast a vote, it cost $20. The winners were Stephanie Edwards and Jim Rapp and they rode in the parade.
North said with just the votes for Mr. and Mrs. Esplanade alone, they raised $14,000. She said it was beyond their wildest expectations.
“This community (Esplanade) is beyond generous and beyond spirited,” North said. “It just gives you goosebumps. It's wonderful.”
Greg Johnson has been in charge of the logistics for the parade and has even pulled strings to secure “foolish” vehicles including the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile and the Planters Nutmobile for the first parade. Since then he has continued to stage the event, directing people where to park and more.
Wolfe said each year the parade is planned, they all say they are never going to do it again and each time they do. This year, Wolfe described it as their “swan song” and said they (Wolfe, Shachat, North and Johnson) are aging out. They hope younger people, “new blood” in the neighborhood will take it over.
Shachat said he hopes the next people who take it on follow in their footsteps and stick with the same recipients of funds, the band and Toys for Tots. He said they have laid the groundwork and raised the most money they ever have this year and hopes the next people continue on that path.
“The committee can work and work and work, but if the people who live here don't come out to support us, who cares?” Shachat said. “I hope it continues to bring joy to everyone here and joy to the children who get the toys and take the pressure off the students at Lakewood Ranch in their band. That's what I hope. I hope we have it for years, years and years and years.”
