A large crowd of spectators gathered in historic downtown Elizabethton Saturday evening to celebrate the start of the Christmas season with the annual Christmas parade.
According to the Elizabethton/Carter County Chamber of Commerce this year’s parade had more entries than last year and saw a huge turnout.
“It was a great, great parade,” said Elizabeth White with the Chamber of Commerce.
The Grand Marshals for this year’s parade were representatives from local law enforcement and emergency responders. Leading the parade were Elizabethton Fire Department Chief Barry Carrier and Deputy Chief Rusty Barnett, Carter County Sheriff Dexter Lunceford, Elizabethton Police Chief Jason Shaw, Watauga Volunteer Fire Department Chief Benny Colbaugh and Carter County Emergency Management Agency Director Gary Smith.
Parade goers were entertained by a variety of floats along with singing and dancing. Several of the floats adopted creative approaches to this year’s theme of “The 12 Days of Christmas.”
And what would a parade be without a marching band? Attendees to this year’s parade were treated to performances by not only the State Champion Elizabethton High School Betsy Band but the marching bands from Cloudland High School, Hampton High School, Happy Valley High School and Unaka High School as well as the T.A. Dugger Junior High School marching band.
Closing out the parade as always, Santa Claus made his way along the parade route atop the Elizabethton Fire Department’s ladder truck.
The Chamber of Commerce will make an announcement at a later time regarding winners in the float categories.