Taylor Moran has never attended the Little Friends Parade of Lights, the annual event that officially kicks off the holiday season in downtown Naperville. But this Sunday, the Metea Valley vocalist will not only be there she’ll perform on the main stage before and after the festivities.
“I am beyond excited to have the opportunity to perform in such a well- known event,” said Moran, 17, of Aurora. “I feel so honored to have been selected as a Metea representative for this parade. It means a lot to me to be able to spread so much Christmas cheer and bring joy to so many people.”
Moran, a member of Metea’s Madrigal Singers, Chamber Singers and the a Capella group Muses, is deaf in one ear, but that hasn’t stopped her from becoming an accomplished vocalist.
“I’ve been singing for as long as I can remember,” Moran said. “The thing that I enjoy most about singing is the impact it has on me. I can express my emotions and passion through music in a way that words can’t.”
The Aurora teen said she was born completely deaf in her right ear, and wears hearing aids “that allow the sound from my right ear to filter into my left ear.”
“Being deaf in one ear has forced me to learn how to sing by feeling,” she said. “In other words, I rely on the muscle memory to place my voice in the right spot.”
Moran is one of six area high school students selected to perform holiday solos on the parade’s main stage beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday. She joins Maria Kalantzis from Naperville Central, Nora Snyder from Naperville North, Tyra Jenkins from Waubonsie Valley, Federico Hernandez Nater from Neuqua Valley and Megan Black from Benet Academy.
“Our parade is a celebration of a wonderful year in Naperville, and how appropriate to have our local high schools be represented,” said Katie Wood, executive director of the Downtown Naperville Alliance. “This is a great chance to showcase their talents on our holiday stage, and a great way to highlight some amazing local talent.”
The Little Friends Parade of Lights has become a Naperville tradition. Thousands of people are expected to attend the annual parade, which begins at 5 p.m. Sunday from Jackson Avenue near the Naperville Park District offices and the Alfred Rubin Center. The parade will head east to Main Street through the heart of downtown and end at Naper School on Eagle Street.
“We look forward to presenting the parade in partnership with the Downtown Naperville Alliance every year,” said Kristi Landorf, president of Little Friends. “It’s our way of saying thank you for the kindness that Naperville shows our clients and staff every day.”
Landorf said the parade has more than 50 entrants, including eight floats, but most people are coming to see one special guest in particular.
“The arrival of Santa is the very last float and the absolutely most important part,” Landorf said.
The celebration continues after the parade, as Santa and Mrs. Claus will visit with children on the main stage at Main Street and Van Buren Avenue, and the high school vocalists will entertain the crowd with holiday music.
Jane Donahue is a freelancer for the Naperville Sun.
If you go
What: The Little Friends Parade of Lights
When: 5 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 29
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Where: The parade begins at Jackson Avenue and ends at Eagle Street near Naper School
For the complete parade route, visit the city of Naperville website.