Dr. Knaak to serve as Christmas parade grand marshal
As International Falls gears up for one of its most cherished traditions, the Home for the Holidays Community Christmas Parade, organizers are adding a special touch to this year’s celebration. Dr. Jay Knaak, a beloved physician who has served the community for more than 30 years, will lead the parade as Grand Marshal, just weeks before his retirement at the end of 2025.
The honor is more than symbolic, it’s a full-circle moment for Dr. Knaak. In 1994, as a young physician new to the area, he drove retiring Dr. Fred Walters in the Fourth of July Parade. Now, in a touching echo of that memory, Dr. Chris Little, the newest physician at Rainy Lake Clinic and one of Dr. Knaak’s mentees, will drive him down Third Street on Nov. 28.
“They wanted the new doctor to drive the retiring doctor,” Knaak said of driving Dr. Walters more than three decades ago. “I was up here as a medical student, and when I started practicing, Dr. Walters was wrapping up his career. I never thought it would come full circle. My first reaction was, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m the old doctor now.’”
Dr. Knaak’s career has been marked by compassion and a deep commitment to rural medicine. He’s known for his ability to put patients at ease, his skill in making complex diagnoses and his heartfelt dedication to end-of-life care.
“That’s the one that makes me cry,” he said. “It’s a true calling, to help someone pass peacefully, without pain or fear. I do what I can to help.”
Dr. Knaak helped launch Rainy Lake Clinic in 2014 and credits the organization – and RLMC’s CEO Robb Pastor – for allowing him to serve the community in the way he always envisioned.
“This organization has allowed me to do what I wanted to do and allowed the community to see me how I wanted to be seen. I feel very fortunate,” he said.
As he prepares to pass the baton to Dr. Little, he jokes, “I trained my own doctor.” But behind the humor is a sense of pride and hope for the future of healthcare in the community.
Rainy Lake Medical Center and its partners invite everyone to join the festivities on Friday, Nov. 28. Beginning at 4 p.m., Smokey Bear Park will come alive with food trucks, holiday lights and even festive alpacas. The parade kicks off at 6 p.m., followed by a fireworks display sponsored by Trustar Federal Credit Union and Packaging Corporation of America.
This year’s parade route will begin on Riverside Drive, travel to Ninth Avenue, and continue down Third Street before ending on Third Avenue.
To register a float or to walk in the parade, visit the International Falls Community Christmas Parade on Facebook for an online link.
As Dr. Knaak waves from the Grand Marshal’s car, it won’t just be a goodbye, it’ll be a celebration of a career well-served and a community well-loved.
