Parade, tree lighting are set this weekend
The annual Thanksgiving parade, themed "Christmas on the Mountain," will be held Saturday afternoon beginning at 2 p.m.
Grand Marshal George Sheets, along with wife Lois, will lead the parade, sponsored by the Sparta Revitalization Committee.
As of Tuesday morning, the list of participants in the parade continued to grow, with 34 floats and other entries on the list at the time.
Pre-registration for the event is encouraged. Contact Barbara Lucier at 372-6135 or Cheri Turner at the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce at 372-5473.
Participants are asked to gather behind Sparta Elementary School at 1 p.m. to line up for the parade.
During a brief phone interview Tuesday, Chamber Director Bob Bamberg strongly encouraged participants not to come to the staging area (behind the school) prior to 1 p.m. and not to leave vehicles unattended in the parking lot while the staging of the parade is taking place.
Meanwhile, SRC Spokesman John Kilmartin said organizers expect good weather for the event based on forecasts Tuesday evening. "If there is inclement weather, we will make a final decision about 10 a.m. on Saturday," he commented.
If the parade were moved, it likely will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The parade will be traveling along the traditional route, beginning at the school and following the Main Street corridor to Blue Ridge Street, ending at Trojan Village Shopping Center.
Two floats in the parade—one that demonstrates the best depiction of theme and one that is deemed the most creative—will be each be awarded a $50 prize.
Following the parade, the Alleghany High School Band will perform on the courthouse lawn. Santa Claus is also expected to make an appearance at the courthouse until festivities conclude around 4:30 p.m.
Sparta Tree Lighting
The lighting of the community Christmas tree on the lawn of the Alleghany County Courthouse will kick off the weekend's festivities Friday around 5 p.m.
Downtown lights, including those from First Community Bank to the Alleghany Chamber of Commerce and from the Sparta ABC Store to Halsey Drug, will be lit simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Santa Claus will be visiting for the lighting and will greet children on the courthouse lawn from 4:30 p.m. until the Christmas tree lighting.
Christmas Lights
High Country Lights, operated by William Bottomley on Glade Valley Road, will officially light up on Thanksgiving night at 6 p.m.
He said the display this year will feature some 75,000 lights that change colors from red, green, blue and clear.
The display may be viewed online at www.highcountrylights.com.
"We're taking donations for the local food pantries in Sparta and Galax (Va.)," Bottomley noted. "The need has increased so much, that we thought it would be a great idea to help them that are helping others."
The normal lighting schedule is Sunday through Thursday from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. Bottomley said parking is limited so those wishing to view the display are asked to come early, about the time the lights first come on, or later in the evening after 9 p.m. for better viewing.
Hospice Tree of Lights
The official lighting for the High Country Health Care System Hospice "Light up a Life" tree will take place on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at 5:45 p.m. Hospice is accepting $5 donations to illuminate a light in honor or memory of a loved one. Those honored do not have to be hospice patients.
An open house is also planned at the same time as the tree lighting, followed by a rememberance service at Grandview Memorial Funeral Home at 7 p.m.
For more information, call Hospice at 372-8018.
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