Parade, festivities beginning Friday
Downtown Columbia will be a busy place this weekend with major events taking place to welcome in the yuletide season.
On Friday night, the annual Kiwanis Club of Columbia Christmas Parade steps off at 6 p.m. from the former Orleans Furniture site on Mississippi 13 North.
The parade route continues through downtown Columbia ending at City Park. This year’s theme is “A Superhero Christmas.” A large turnout was on hand for a recent parade organizational meeting. Kiwanis Vice President Jeni Southerland said that as of midday Tuesday there were more than 60 units registered for the parade.
On Saturday afternoon the fun continues with the Main Street Cruise-In put on by the Columbia Gearheads. The event begins at 2 p.m. and lasts until 5 p.m. All makes and models of cars, trucks and motorcycles are welcome. Registration is free for participants. Kane’s Catfish, Seafood and Steaks will have a trailer on site with food available. The Gearheads will also be collecting toys, which must be unwrapped.
The weekend events downtown conclude with the annual Candlelight, Carols and Claus, sponsored by Main Street Columbia Inc.
“It will begin about 4 p.m. and features a lot of extra activities this year,” Main Street Director Nik Ingram said. “At 6 p.m., Artwistic Revolution will be hosting its annual Art in Action and many merchants will be open downtown.”
Art in Action features demonstrations in wood turning by James Breakfield, block printing by Megan Sauls, jewelry enameling by Dana Simmons and interactive plasma cutting by Jeremy Thomley.
“We’re also going to have a gaming trailer downtown from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. from Pine Belt Level 10 Games,” Ingram said. “There will be 13 units where kids can play different games. Merchants and vendors will be open and there will be all sorts of items available.”
This year, something new will be a part of the downtown Christmas celebration.
“We’re going to have the Columbia Christmas Village,” Ingram said. “It is located at 911 Main St., across from the Post Office. It will feature a 35-foot Christmas tree and a huge Oak tree with 5,000 lights on it. There will be a small lighted pathway with things for the kids to see. They’ll be able to see Santa. It will be cute. There will be Christmas music playing, vendors, food and even some live music. The vendors will have items you could get as gifts for Christmas. You can get a cup of hot chocolate. Aaron Greer will be selling beignets and coffee. You can take pictures with Santa and even a princess. It will be a lot of fun.”
Admission for the Columbia Christmas Village will help raise funds to add Christmas lighting to downtown Columbia for Main Street Columbia Inc.
Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children, but for every adult purchase a child gets in free.
“We’re excited for this weekend,” Ingram said. “It’s going to be awesome.”
The Columbia Christmas Village will be open every Saturday in December from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m.
Schedule
Kiwanis Christmas Parade, 6 p.m. Friday
Main Street Cruise-in, 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday
Candlelight, Carols and Claus, 4 p.m. Saturday
Artwistic Revolution’s Art in Action, 6 p.m. Saturday
Columbia Christmas Village, 911 Main St., 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. each Saturday in Dec.
Pictured Above: Main Street Columbia Inc. Manager Nik Ingram looks at the 35-foot Christmas tree Tuesday afternoon. The tree came from Bass Tree Farm and was installed by crews from Pearl River Valley Electric Power Association. | Photo by Mark Rogers
