W’burg Christmas bazaar, parade set for Saturday

To borrow a line from the old song, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Williamsburg with a parade and several holiday events scheduled this weekend.

Santa Claus is slated to make an appearance Saturday at the Williamsburg Christmas parade.

Festivities will kick off with the Third-Annual Williamsburg Christmas Bazaar that will take place from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Saturday at the Williamsburg Civic Center.

The event will feature homemade crafts, baked goods, Christmas ornaments, hot dogs, chili and other items offered for sale.

There are still a few tables available for rent at the bazaar. There is a $10 set up fee for the first table rented and a $5 set up fee for each additional table with proceeds from table rentals going to the Williamsburg Police Department Shop with a Cop program.

For table rental information, contact the Williamsburg Civic Center at (606) 549-0530.

Parade planned

At 6 p.m. Saturday, the Williamsburg 2017 Feels Like Home “Christmas in a Small Town” Parade will take place along Main Street starting at the city school and concluding in front of the old courthouse.

This year, there are over 20 floats slated for entry in the parade with $150 first place prizes available for best float in three categories: church, business and schools.

Second place finishers will receive a $100 prize and third place finishers will receive a $50 cash prize. In addition, the city is giving $200 to each choir and band that participates in the parade.

“It is going to be the biggest and best one that we have ever had,” noted Williamsburg Main Street Manager Nannie Hays.

Hays said that there have been various challenges issued to see who has the best float, such as a friendly competition between Firestone and Williamsburg Plastics.

“There is a float from each of those. We will see which one is the best,” Hays added.

Parade organizers said that the use of sirens would be discouraged during the parade so that people can hear the music better.

Another big change for this year’s parade, which won’t be popular with some, is that participants won’t be allowed to throw candy from floats during the parade.

Mayor Roddy Harrison said this is due to safety because there have been numerous instances across the country where children have run out to pick up candy and gotten hit by vehicles.

Those wanting to hand out candy will have to have people walking beside their floats tossing the candy.

After parade festivities

After the parade Saturday, there will be free hot chocolate and apple cider at Bill Woods Park along with the singing of Christmas carols.

The town ornament exchange will take place during this time. Those wishing to participate are encouraged to bring an ornament in a brown paper bag that will be placed on a table, and then they will select an ornament that someone else has brought.

In addition, that evening at Bill Woods Park people can place a memorial ornament on the town Christmas tree in honor of a deceased friend or relative.

Harrison said that after Christmas the memorial ornaments are collected and saved to put back up on the tree the following year.

Decorating contest

During Saturday evening’s festivities at Bill Woods Park, the winners of the 13^th Annual Williamsburg Feels Like Home Christmas Decorating Contest will be announced. Judging is currently underway.

In the residential division, there will be three categories, including: traditional, modern traditional and “bling bling.”

In addition, there will be a best-decorated door award given out in the residential division and there will be an award given out for the best decorated neighborhood.

In the business division, there will be two categories, traditional and modern traditional.

Winners receive a yard sign and more importantly, bragging rights until next year.

For more information about the upcoming holiday events, contact the Williamsburg Civic Center at 549-0530 or Gina Harrison at the mayor’s office at 549-6033.

Christmas in a Small Town

The Williamsburg Independent School Christmas in a Small Town program will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the school gymnasium. The choir and band will entertain with performances of several Christmas classics.