Annual Blytheville Christmas Parade cancelled

The Greater Blytheville Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that the Annual Christmas Parade, normally scheduled for early December, will not proceed in 2020. “The Covid-19 pandemic creates too much risk,” said Executive Director Liz Smith. “The Christmas Parade has been a long-time tradition for our community and while we are disappointed to cancel, we also recognize that virtually every activity associated with it produces an undue risk, from building floats to featuring bands and walking groups to simply standing on the street watching.”

Parades are widely cancelled nationwide, Smith noted, and like in many other cities, the chamber explored ways to substitute for an actual street event. “At the end of the day we just had to let it go and start focusing our energy on next year. We are hosting some events, but we are cautious, and we always rely on the Arkansas Department of Health for guidance.”