All three cities in the Golden Triangle are discouraging residents from gathering in large groups due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic — including by canceling annual holiday events or adapting them to go on without crowds.
Columbus, Starkville and West Point have all canceled their annual Christmas parades. Other events, such as Columbus’ tree lighting (held Monday) and Starkville’s Holiday Bazaar, will go on with safety restrictions in place, city leaders said.
“We did not want to cancel any of our events for the holidays,” Main Street Columbus Executive Director Barbara Bigelow said. “A lot of events have been canceled and we really … wanted to give the community something to do. So we’ve taken all of our events, (and) if we could not have them in our normal fashion, then we altered them to make them work safely for the community and for everybody who participates.”
Monday evening’s annual lighting of the Christmas tree, which saw Columbus Mayor Robert Smith and officials from Main Street Columbus light a magnolia tree at the Columbus Riverwalk, was streamed online so residents could participate without actually attending the event.
Other events, such as the annual Wassail Fest and Christmas parade, have been replaced with events that will involve less face-to-face interaction, Bigelow said.
On Friday, Main Street will host “Grinch Fest” instead of Wassail Fest to encourage shopping among downtown businesses. Instead of businesses making and giving away their own wassail, as typically happens at the event, Main Street officials are encouraging shoppers to dress in costumes and shop downtown. The event will include a costume contest, prizes and the opportunity for kids to take pictures with the Grinch in the former Fashion Barn, which Bigelow said kids can do from six feet away.
Likewise, she said, the parade has been replaced with “Whoville Cruising,” in which residents can decorate their vehicles and gather at the Hitching Lot Farmers Market on Second Street North downtown on Dec. 12 and be part of a caravan of cars that drive through downtown.
Starkville’s parade, meanwhile, was replaced by a televised program Monday night depicting previous parades and interviewing locals, Mayor Lynn Spruill said.
The Holiday Bazaar, an annual two-day indoor market at The Mill Conference Center, will still be held indoors but will limit the number of customers at one time, Spruill said.
Starkville does not have an annual gathering to light its downtown Christmas tree. West Point does, but the city lit the tree without an event of any kind this year, Mayor Robbie Robinson said.
Despite fewer social events, the holiday shopping season is underway. Leaders in all three cities urged “common sense,” social distancing and the continued use of protective face coverings throughout the holiday season to hopefully prevent further spread of COVID-19.
“We still want you to get out and shop, and you can do that safely, but you just have to be alert when you’re around people, or you can shop online,” Spruill said.
In terms of private events, Smith said Columbus officials are encouraging small gatherings between families, rather than large work parties, and pointed out the usual holiday parties for city departments have all been canceled.
“We (are) not trying to tell you how to run your household during the Christmas (season) as far as Christmas parties and family get-togethers,” he said. “We’re just encouraging small family gatherings … for the safety (and) welfare of all our citizens. We want to see everyone back in the new year of 2021.”
Dispatch news editor Isabelle Altman contributed to this report.
Tess Vrbin was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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