At Grand Rapids Tech, we love big ideas and specialty projects. Technology is serious—but being unserious and having fun is part of our culture. We believe Life is for Living, and sometimes that means turning a community tradition into an Adventure of a Lifetime.
As a Bronze Sponsor of the Rockford Chamber of Commerce, we’ve made a conscious effort to be more present in the communities we serve. So when the 81-year tradition of the Santa Claus Parade rolled around, we thought: “What If” we did something bold, something fun, something that would make people smile – and maybe even tie in some of the tech services we offer.
That’s when our President remembered a viral moment from 2025: the Coldplay Kiss Cam incident during The Jumbotron Song. While we couldn’t improvise songs like Chris Martin, we could create a playful, interactive experience inspired by that idea.
Creating Something Just Like This
We started at square one: a Toyota Tacoma, a pair of outdoor speakers, and a vision.
From there, our technicians went to work. They mounted a 55” TV and a Ubiquiti G5 PTZ (pantiltzoom) camera in the bed of the truck, creating a fully mobile, crowd facing display. To keep everything running smoothly—and to make sure the crowd would be Easy to Please—our support team built a compact mobile workstation in the Tacoma’s back seat. This mini command center included a battery backup for a little extra Higher Power and a mobile UniFi network so the camera could send A Message to the UniFi controller throughout the parade.
Of course, The Hardest Part wasn’t the tech—it was keeping the whole setup stable while the truck moved. To solve that, we weighted the base with sandbags positioned low to keep the equipment steady and the camera feed crisp.
At sunrise on parade day, our team came together to finish the transformation: decking the truck in shiny Christmas décor, connecting cameras to laptops and phones, and sound checking festive tunes. With Christmas Lights and other Coldplay favorites blasting, we fired up the live feed and instantly recreated that unmistakable kisscam vibe.
But it wasn’t just about the technology—it was about creating a little holiday Magic. Seeing the crowd react in real time, from Old Friends to brand new faces, reminded us why we love doing what we do. It was fun, unexpected, and full of joy—exactly the spirit we set out to capture.
Ready to Dream Big?
We love solving unique tech challenges and turning Amazing Days into unforgettable experiences. Whether it’s for fun or efficiency in your business, we thrive on bridging technology gaps to make your craziest ideas happen.
Got a wild idea? A specialty project? Let’s make it happen. Call us for a no-cost consult and let’s turn your vision into reality. For Grand Rapids Tech, it’s never Us Against the World. It’s about collaboration, listening, and delivering solutions that fit your needs.