A Hallmark Christmas in Polk
Santa comes to town, lights go on in Rockmart for holidays during annual parades
The City of Rockmart had a goal to meet before they hit the holiday season. A promise was made to get up string lights over Marble Street in the first phase of a project to brighten downtown during the night hours year round.
Rockmart’s Stacey Smith, who heads up the city’s Department of Community Development, said it was her hope the lights would come in and be up in time to shine down on the city as Santa came to town late last week.
It all worked out as if Hollywood had come to town with a script in hand and creating something for cable. The undefeated Yellow Jacket football team marched at the front of this year’s parade right behind police cars clearing the way, and one moment it was darker than normal over Marble Street. In the blink of an eye, downtown Rockmart’s nights just got brighter.
The lights came on over Rockmart thanks to Atkins Electric, which Smith said did the heavy lifting of installation of strands of lights over South Marble Street, which aren’t completely done yet but will be added to in the weeks to come. The electricians got up on ladders to flip the switches for the first time, creating a holiday miracle completed by Santa Claus riding in on a fire truck and turning on the tree in front of the Rockmart History Museum for 2018.
“They save our town and created a scene from a Hallmark Christmas movie,” Smith said in a text. “They went above and beyond.”
Rockmart’s Christmas Parade through downtown wrapped up the latest holiday events for the community despite wet weather threatening the event followed by a performance from members of the Rockmart Community Chorus at the tree lighting.
Parade winners weren’t yet announced at press time over the weekend, but should be available this week on Polkstandardjournal. com, along with many more photos from this year’s parades in Rockmart and Cedartown.
The winners however for the annual Christmas celebration on Main Street in Cedartown were announced late last week.
Hundreds lined the street on Thursday, Dec. 6 for their “Blue Christmas” theme for 2018 saw the Church division headed up in first place by New Hope Baptist Church, followed by Pine Bower Baptist Church in second and Southside Baptist Church in third place.
The Open Division winners included first place for the Williamson Family, second place for Kaleidoscope Polk, and third place going to Angel Farm.
Most Outstanding in Cedartown’s parade went to the Bold and Beautiful Red Hatters, who created their float in honor of John L. Mobbs.
Cedartown’s parade was also capped off by Santa, but the Christmas trees located in the park on South Main Street next door to Ideal Bakery went without a lighting ceremony this year as wet weather forced a cancellation of the event on Friday, Nov. 30.
The Christmas spirit however is alive and well in Polk County through the holiday season, and a number of events are coming up including a reading at South
Marble Coffee in Rockmart this Saturday at 12 p.m. featuring free copies of “The 12 Days of Christmas in Georgia.”
Find additional events in this week’s edition of the Standard Journal coming up this weekend throughout Polk County in the news section, and on the community calendar.