Parades Kick-Off Holiday Season

As the holiday shopping season begins, Christmas parades throughout the area help to get shoppers into the spirit. Parades have been scheduled in Elkton, Ardmore, Pulaski, Fayetteville and Athens.

The Elkton Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, December 2, at 10 a.m. Entries will line up at the Elkton Elementary School at 9 a.m. with judging slated at 9:15 in the following categories: Club/Organization, Religious, Horse & Buggy, Cars/Trucks ATVs/Motorcycles, Tractors, Horse & Rider. A trophy will be given for Best Overall.

Area parade-goers will have ample opportunity in the coming weekends to enjoy Christmas Parades throughout the area and view floats and novelties such as Agri-City Tractor Co.’s 2005 entry, “A Green Christmas.”

The annual Ardmore Christmas Parade will be held Saturday, December 2, at 3 p.m. Parade participants will line up for judging at 1:30 p.m. at Clayton Homes in Ardmore.

This year’s parade Grand Marshal will be Brittany Hastings. Brittany is the 16-year-old daughter of Charlie and Renee Hastings, owners of The City Cafe. She is recovering from serious injuries received in an automobile accident last April.

There is no specific theme for this year’s Christmas parade. Entry deadline is Thursday, November 30. The fee is $20.00 per float, $10.00 per animal, $10.00 per animal with buggy, $10.00 per person walking. Prizes will be awarded in five categories including Novelty, Religious, Civic/Industry, Horse, and Horse and Buggy or Wagon. All Crape Myrtle Pageant winners are invited to participate. Entry forms are available at the Chamber of Commerce, SunBridge Care, and The Myrtle Tree.

For more information, contact Maalac Steele at the Ardmore Chamber of Commerce office 256/423-7588.

The parade will begin at Clayton Homes then go east on Main Street right on Ardmore Avenue. The parade will then turn right on Third Street, right on First Avenue, and proceed back to Main Street. Entries will proceed on Main Street, turn right on Park Avenue, and end at the Boys and Girls Club.

The Giles County Christmas Parade will be held Sunday, December 3, in Pulaski. The line-up begins at 12:00 noon with judging at 1:00 p.m. The parade will step off at 3:00 p.m. The theme for this year is “I’ll Be Home For Christmas”

The parade will begin at Giles County High School, continue to Washington Street, then to 2nd Street and back to Giles County High School. For more information, call 931-363-3789.

The theme for this year’s Fayetteville Christmas Parade is, “Put Christ Back in Christmas”. The annual parade will be held on Sunday, December 3, beginning at 3:00 p.m. There is no fee to enter. It will begin at the bypass and continue straight up Main and Washington Streets.

The annual Athens Christmas Parade will be held Thursday, December 7. Festivities begin at 6 p.m.