Come check out Corbin’s Christmas parade, UC’s Christmas concert this weekend

To borrow a line from the old song, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas,” or at least it soon will be here in Whitley County.

Mark White is Editor of The News Journal.

Following the pandemic filled 2020, which saw Williamsburg canceling its Christmas parade and Corbin holding a reverse parade where the floats stayed still and the people drove by, this year things are getting back to normal.

You will soon have the chance to check out some holiday events, which should really get you in the mood for the holiday season.

Here are a few.

Corbin’s Christmas festivities will start Saturday with the annual Christmas village and ice skating rink opening up at noon on Main Street.

Pre-parade Christmas activities will begin at 5 p.m. in Nibroc Park where people can get a picture made with Santa, have a cup of hot chocolate and make some Christmas crafts.

The parade will start at 7 p.m. and go from Eighth Street to Gordon Hill along Main Street.

Williamsburg is gearing up for Christmas too. The annual Turkey Trot 5-K run/walk was held Thanksgiving Day with a record number of participants registered for the race. The Christmas Bazaar was held Saturday at the Williamsburg Tourism and Convention Center.

Following a tradition started last year during the pandemic, Williamsburg is offering a $500 prize for the business judged the best Christmas decorated business in Williamsburg.

“We want Williamsburg’s downtown and around the city to look like a ‘Hallmark’ Christmas,” Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison noted in a recent letter to downtown businesses.

Those business owners, who can’t or don’t want to decorate for Christmas, can have their building adopted by a civic, church or school group, who will be responsible for decorating the building.

In addition to the $500 first place prize, there is a $300 second place prize and a $200 third place prize.

The drive to get local businesses decorated is part of the lead up to the 2021 City of Williamsburg – Feels Like Home Christmas In A Small Town Parade, which is slated to take place Saturday, Dec. 11, at 6 p.m.

There are three categories of floats for the parade: church, business and school with each category being judged. The first place winner gets $150, second place gets $100 and third place gets $50.

Each school band and choir will also receive $200 for participating in the parade.

After the parade, the town ornament exchange will take place in Bill Woods Park along with decorating the town Christmas tree with memorial ornaments, and free apple cider or hot chocolate.

If you want something to get you into the Christmas spirit, these are some great events to check out.

Speaking of Christmas events, the University of the Cumberlands will be holding “Christmas at the Cumberlands,” this Sunday, Dec. 5, at 4 p.m. in the O. Wayne Rollins Center.

The event is free and open to the public.

My friend Jim Moss recently e-mailed me assuring me that it was the best Christmas music program that he had ever attended, including events in Louisville and the Bach Society, which is high praise indeed. I have been to this event a time or two myself, and it does feature some great music.

Let me switch gears before I conclude this column and offer my congratulations to Danny Moses, who was sworn in Tuesday as Whitley County’s interim sheriff. Danny should do a great job. He replaces Todd Shelley, who opted to retire rather than finish out his final year in office.

Best of luck to both men, who are quality individuals. I’m sure Todd will be enjoying the next year a lot better than Danny though.