Christmas parade, tree-lighting set for this week

EDITOR'S NOTE: Because of the expected winter storm, these events have been rescheduled. Both will take place Monday night, Dec. 9. The tree-lighting will be at 5 p.m., with the parade at 6:30 p.m.

The Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce is gearing up for this year's holiday season with two community Christmas events at the end of the week -- the community tree lighting in Pocket Park and the annual Christmas parade.

The tree-lighting ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday at Pocket Park on the corner of Railroad and Main streets. This year's Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year, Peggy Lemons, is being given the honor of "flipping the switch," something Chamber Director Liz Smith said she hopes to make a yearly tradition.

"We'll be having our Citizen of the Year, Peggy, flip the switch," Smith said. "I think that's kind of a nice little thing a we're hoping to make it a tradition to have the Citizen of the Year light the tree."

The short ceremony will also feature music from the Blytheville Elementary School and KIPP Blytheville choirs, and Santa Claus will be available for pictures.

Then on Friday, the annual Christmas parade is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. This year's parade theme is "All I Want for Christmas," with more than 60 entries participating as the parade twists and winds through the downtown area. As in years past, Santa Claus will be the parade's grand finale.

"We're going to have Santa spending a lot of time here instead of at the North Pole building toys," Smith quipped.

Emmanual Lofton, who was this year's Lifetime Community Achievement Award winner, presented by the Chamber, will be the grand marshal.

During the parade, Odyssey of the Mind will be selling hot chocolate and Tenaris will be selling hot cider to benefit the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.

With the possibility of some severe winter weather looming over Thursday and Friday, Smith said make0up dates have been set for both events. The parade would be rescheduled for Monday at 6:30 p.m. in the case of bad weather conditions. Should the tree-lighting event be impacted, it will be rescheduled for 5 p.m. the day of the parade, either Friday or Monday, depending on the weather.

cpinkard@blythevillecourier.com