Christmas parade to begin Saturday
at 5 p.m.
By Greg Miller
STAR STAFF
The Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce
Christmas Parade will start at the Monument on Saturday at
5 p.m.
The parade, estimated to last about one hour,
will go to the Elk Avenue/Broad Street intersection. Rozella
Hardin will serve as the grand marshal of the parade.
Deadline for entering a float in the parade was
Wednesday. Entry fee was one bag of groceries, which will
be distributed in Christmas baskets through the Carter County
Community Services Council.
As of about 9:30 Wednesday morning, more than
80 floats had been entered. A total of 100-125 floats were
anticipated. Six church floats, several business floats and
several units from local Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts
were entered.
Bands from Elizabethton High School, T.A. Dugger
Jr. High School, and all Carter County high schools will perform
during the parade. Unicoi County High School ROTC will participate.
Former POWs are scheduled to participate. Carter
County Bank employees will carry a 20' x 30' flag. The flag
will be stationed behind former POWs Sonnie Mottern and Wright
Swanay.
Santa Claus will be on a fire truck provided
by the Elizabethton Fire Department. Santa's elves will hand
out candy, as well some of the other parade units.
In addition to the Christmas parade, a host of
local holiday events have been scheduled. Thanksgiving Garrison
at Fort Watauga will be held Sunday and Monday at Sycamore
Shoals State Historic Area from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. The Roan Mountain
Citizens Club Christmas in the Village will be held at Roan
Mountain Holiness Church on Tuesday at 6 p.m. "What's a Pilgrim?"
will be held at the Elizabethton/Carter County Public Library
on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. (Story Time, infant-preschool)
and 3:30 p.m. (Story Club, kindergarten-elementary). Those
who attend the "What's a Pilgrim?" event are asked to take
canned goods for a food basket to be given to Shepherd's Inn.
Lighting of the Fraser fir will be held at the UT Extension
Office, 824 E. Elk Ave., Wednesday at 5:30 p.m.
Residents can pick up a calendar of local holiday
events at the Chamber. For more information, call 547-3850.
