The 38th Annual QVC West Chester Christmas Parade last Friday was a huge success, bringing smiles to children’s faces and boosting the local economy while attracting national and international attention. The Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, host of this beloved tradition, wants to thank the massive effort of more than 200 dedicated volunteers, sponsors and local organizations.

Officials at GWCC say they are proud to host an event that is so integral to the local economy and which has had such a positive impact on the local business community.

They back it up with a study of the effects of the annual parade that brings an estimated 40,000 people to downtown West Chester. In partnership with West Chester University, an economic impact study was conducted during the 2016 Christmas parade.

According to the results of the study, last year’s parade had an economic impact of over $500,000 for the businesses in downtown West Chester on the night of the Christmas parade.

“The impact study helped us to understand this parade generates over half a million dollars in true economic impact for the central Chester County region,” explains Mark J. Yoder, President and CEO of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce. “As a Chamber, we are proud to help promote West Chester and drive economic stimulus to our area.”

GWCC would like to thank the following organizations for making the parade possible:

• Todd Marcocci and Amy Walp of Under the Sun Productions
• QVC, Inc.
• 6abc
• Light Action
• Massive Dynamics
• Total Rental
• A.J. Blosenski Trash & Recycling Service
• Borough of West Chester organizations  including Public Works, Police, Parking Authority, Fire Police
• West Chester Area Fire Depts. and EMTs
• Chester County Sheriff’s Dept. and Chester County

A special thanks goes to the sponsors without whom GWCC couldn’t make this happen:

• QVC
• AAA
• Benchmark Federal Credit Union
• BB&T
• ACAC
• Wells Fargo
• First Resource Bank
• Lamb McErlane
• First Priority Bank
• Infiniti of West Chester
• Stoltzfus RV & Marine
• WSFS Bank
• Gawthrop Greenwood, PC
• Fred Beans Ford of West Chester
• West Chester Business Improvement District
• Hotel Warner
• The Desmond
• Sheraton Great Valley
• My Benefit Advisor
• Precision Graphix
• 95.7 BenFM
• Daily Local News
• PECO
• 6abc
• Side Bar & Restaurant
• TPL Photography
• A.J. Blosenski Trash & Recycling Service
• Main Line Today
• VISTA.Today

2017 QVC West Chester Christmas Parade received international exposure by NTD television and Epochtimes, a global newspaper based in the United States with distribution in multiple countries and numerous languages:

The Daily Local covered the parade and provided a recap as well.

If you didn’t attend the parade, you can see the televised version on December 23 at 7 p.m. on 6abc and also several times on QVC starting at 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and throughout Christmas Day. 

View a PHOTO GALLERY of images taken by GWCC Board member, Jeannie McGinn as she rode in the parade.