Santa on Board

The second annual Downtown Dazzle Parade is less than a week away, and it has been confirmed that Santa and Mrs. Claus will be riding in the parade! Taking place on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2025 at 5:30pm, the parade will contain 55 floats covered in Christmas lights, and all dollars after expenses will be donated to The Salvation Army in Rochester, MN.

This year, long-time Rochester community members John Eischen and his wife will join the parade as Santa and Mrs. Claus, a role they’ve played at community events for the past three years. “Our youngest daughter is the director of New Horizon Academy, and one day, she said to me, ‘Dad, I need a Santa for the kids,” said Eischen.

One ‘yes’ has turned into an annual tradition for John and his wife for multiple charitable organizations. “So, when a friend of mine, who’s on the planning committee for Downtown Dazzle, approached me to ask if we would be Santa and Mrs. Claus in the parade, we said ‘sure!’”

In 2021, John also said ‘yes’ when asked to join The Salvation Army Advisory Board. “Jerry Williams actually approached me because of my connections and experience with property projects,” said John, who at the time represented the Rochester Area Builders. “The Salvation Army has four buildings downtown, and they were looking for people who could help them to make good property decisions.

“It was a good fit for me and my skillset, so I said of course I would help.” John has since become the chair of the board’s Property Committee, and plays an integral role in the leadership of the organization.

“Brad Trahan and his team have really put together an awesome event with this parade,” said John, “It couldn’t happen at a more opportune time with more people coming to the [Salvation] Army for help, and with it being during the red kettle season, the biggest fundraising time of their year.”

In the last year and a half, the number of patients The Salvation Army provides with healthcare has risen from 3,000 people to 4,500 people. The number of meals they serve in a day has risen from 100 to 120. And while the annual Toy & Joy Shop distributed gifts to nearly 950 children ahead of the Christmas holiday last year, with the challenges of the past month, The Salvation Army is expecting to see an increase in that number, as well.

“Our whole team cannot begin to thank the planning committee behind this parade for their efforts,” said Captain Michael Hanton, Corps Officer of The Salvation Army in Rochester. “Last year’s parade raised over $7,500, which helped us to prevent evictions, rehouse homeless families, and provide tooth extractions to get people out of dental pain. It’s truly thrilling to know that this year’s parade is going to make that kind of impact on so many people.”

Captain Michael shared that he’s most excited to see John in his full Santa regalia ahead of the parade. The Captain will walk toward the beginning of the parade, while Santa and Mrs. Claus will wave to onlookers from the very last float of the parade lineup.

When asked what it takes to be a good Santa, John replied with a smile, “Elbow, elbow. Wrist, wrist!”

For more information about the Downtown Dazzle parade, please visit RochesterSA.org, and click "Events."