STARKVILLE — The Starkville Christmas Parade this year promises to be the biggest yet.
As of Thursday, 90 local churches, schools, businesses and other organizations had registered to participate in the parade, Greater Starkville Development Partnership special events coordinator Latasha Hill said. During previous years, the total was closer to 60 or 70, she said.
“People just seem to be more in the festive spirit this year,” Hill said when asked about the record number of entries. “I think that even though we just came through an economic hardship, people seem to be excited to move forward and rebound.”
While the parade will feature more participants than years past, it also will have a bit more star power. The Mississippi State University football team will take part in the procession, fresh off its 41-27 victory over The University of Mississippi Saturday in the Egg Bowl.
Hill was particularly excited about seeing the MSU football team, which will be carrying the Golden Egg it won at the game.
“We wanted to give special recognition for all of the hard work and dedication that they put forward,” Hill said.
The parade, set for Saturday at 5 p.m., is only a small part of the Christmas activities taking place this weekend in Starkville.
Events begin Saturday at 10 a.m. with sidewalk sales and specials at several downtown stores.
The Christmas tree lighting ceremony will take place at 4 p.m. on the plaza of Cadence Bank on University Drive, featuring a tree donated by Doss and Martha Brodnax. Children from local day cares provided handmade ornaments for the tree. Starkville Mayor Parker Wiseman will make comments, and Santa Claus will be on hand.
The parade, themed “A Classic Country Christmas,” will begin at 5 p.m. on Russell Street. Participants will then turn west onto Lampkin Street, north onto Montgomery Street and west onto Main Street. The route will continue along Main Street until it reaches Lampkin again by First United Methodist Church. After a left turn onto Lampkin, the parade will end at Jackson Street.
Starkville Café will sell soup and hot chocolate during the event. Other restaurants along the route also will be open for dining following the parade.
Bands from Starkville High School and Starkville Academy are expected to participate. Santa Claus also will ride on a float.
The parade will be televised on Starkville local channel 5 at 5 p.m.
“I am very excited to have so many local organizations, churches, schools and businesses to help make this year”s parade a success,” Hill said.
Christmas activities will resume on Sunday with the Starkville Civic League Tour of Homes, which will feature four homes for viewing in the Browning Creek development off Oktoc Road. Homes featured on the tour include those of Joe and Carolyn Bryan, Richard and Jennifer Blackbourn, Davis and Hailey Woodward and Beth Prisock.
The tour begins at 1:30 p.m. at the Oktoc Community Center with refreshments. Homes will be available for viewing from 2-4 p.m. Refreshments will be served until 5 p.m.
Tickets for the home tour are $20 each and may be purchased at the Campus Book Mart (downtown location), Montgomery Jewelers, Greater Starkville Development Partnership Welcome Center or from any civic league member. All proceeds from the event will be used for community service projects and donations by the Starkville Civic League.
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