By Michael V. Hannigan/HCNow
Holiday Market … Music … Santa … Tree Lighting … Parade.
It must be Christmas time in Athens!
Athens Mayor Monte Montgomery said, “Saturday will be an exciting time to be in Athens. Lots of activities around the square including Navy Band Southwest performance and lots of fun for kids. I am very excited for the citizens to be able to enjoy the activities and hope we have the biggest and best parade ever, Saturday evening.”
Light Up Athens will be turning the square into a Christmas celebration this Saturday, Dec. 2, with “Holiday on the Square,” an event that has been entertaining children and adults since 2012.
This year’s schedule includes:
- 1-5 p.m. — Holiday Market
- 1-5 p.m. — Activites for Children: arts and crafts, face painting, balloon artist
- 3:30 – 5 p.m. — Band of the West
- Dusk — Christmas tree lighting ceremony
Keep Athens Beautiful Executive Director Carol Morton, who is one of the organizers of the event, said, there will be 35 vendors for the Holiday Market.
“It is going to be a great, wonderful family day on the square,” she said.
In addition to the above events, Santa will be in his house from 1-5 p.m. to see children before going to take part in the annual City of Athens Christmas Parade.
The parade will start at 6:30 p.m. and follow the normal route which will take it from the Trinity Valley Community College parking lot up South Palestine Street, around the square, and back down South Prairieville Street back to the college.
“We are so excited for the 2017 ‘A Musical Christmas’ lighted Christmas Parade,” said Adrianna Hinds, Athens Community Services coordinator. “Come out and enjoy creative entries and floats from organizations all over Henderson County and support this family-friendly annual tradition.”
If you have any questions about the parade, call City Hall at 903.675.5131 or email [email protected].
In addition to all the traditional fun, the United States Air Force Band of the West has been added to the schedule.
Morton said the addition of the band is “beyond exciting.”
The Band of the West “travels more than 125,000 miles annually and provides hundreds of performances to military and civilian audiences throughout Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Puerto Rico.”
This is a band that has performed for presidents and international heads of state — and they are going to be on the square in Athens playing for Henderson County.
The USAF Band of the West is scheduled to perform from 3:30 to 5 p.m.
(Follow Michael V. Hannigan on Instagram and Twitter @mvhannigan)