Calhoun Christmas parade set for Thursday

DBell@CalhounTimes.com

Adam Parson, owner of Southern Heritage Barns, will have the privilege of carrying Santa Claus down Wall Street on Thursday evening during the Calhoun Christmas Parade of Lights after his float won the overall prize last year.

He’s set on winning that top honor again, even if participants can’t host the jolly old elf two years in a row.

“We’ve been doing this four years now, and we’ve won a plaque ever year,” Parson said.

Santa will be riding atop a red 1947 Farmall tractor wrapped in lights when the parade begins Thursday at 7 p.m. The tractor will sit toward the rear of a long trailer featuring multiple Christmas trees, a snow machine and other displays.

Parson said they usually spend about two weeks working on the float, but this year he had about 15 people on hand beginning last Sunday to put the whole thing together. He said they add to the collection of colorful decorations every year, including about $1,600 this year after visiting three Home Depot locations, a Lowe’s and a

PARADE,

Hobby Lobby.

“Man hours, we have roughly 20 to 25 in it so far,” he said on Tuesday. “Light wise, I don’t know, we probably have well over 30,000 lights.”

Parson said the parade float has become a quick tradition for his family, with several people dressing in costumes and riding along. He said he loves the holidays and enjoys seeing the kids marvel at the display he creates.

Because parade organizers don’t want Santa riding on the same float every year, Parson even considered building a second one to enter into the event for his other business, Whispering Pine Farms. He said he already has the trailer and that he and his crew gave it some heavy consideration, but time was a little short this year.

“Next year though,” Parson said.

Representatives of the Northwest Georgia Regional Fair Association, Gordon County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Calhoun Downtown Development Authority forming a Calhoun Christmas Parade Committee partnered to plan and present the 2019 Calhoun Christmas Parade of Lights. North Wall Street will be closed to local traffic from 5:30 to 8 p.m., with the parade beginning at 7 p.m. and moving south on Wall Street from Line Street to Oak Street.

The theme of the 2019 parade is “A Calhoun Fairytale Christmas: Characters and Stories of our Favorite Fairytales.” All participants have been encouraged to embrace the theme as they decorate their floats and parade vehicles. Prizes will be awarded to the best of show in six categories: Most Musical, Best Use of Lights, Best Religious Theme, Best Use of Parade Theme, Most

Spirited and Best Over-All.

The Calhoun Christmas Parade Committee members are Larry Gilbert, Calhoun Police Department; Betty Hegwood, WJTH Radio; Kevin McEntire, Calhoun Street Department; Terry Mills, Calhoun Fire Department; Sarah Ostuw, Gordon County Convention and Visitors Bureau; Bud Owens, Northwest Georgia Regional Fair Association; Suzanne Roberts, Calhoun Downtown Development Authority; Sharon Smith, Northwest Georgia Regional Fair Association; and Courtney Taylor, Floyd County EMS. Owens, Ostuw and Roberts lead the committee. Local law enforcement agencies will lead the parade group, consisting of more than 50 entries. Participants include local businesses, schools, churches, scouts, and a variety of civic organizations.

The Gordon County Chamber of Commerce contributed to this report.