With everyone gathered around for Thanksgiving, thoughts will soon be turning to Christmas, and downtown Columbia is preparing for a month-long series of activities.
That includes adding an outdoor ice skating rink on Second Street in addition to the Christmas parade, light shows and other yuletide celebrations that made news all over Mississippi last year.
Experience Columbia LLC, a nonprofit formed earlier this year by the organizers of last year’s Christmas events, is leading the planning with help from $275,000 from the city that’s being generated by the 3 percent tax on restaurants and hotels.
Downtown events will begin at 2 p.m. Dec. 7 with the Columbia Gearheads Cruise-In car show. The car show is open to everyone, and there is no cost to walk around and see the cars. The cruise-in will last until 5 p.m.
At 6 p.m. that day will be the annual Kiwanis Christmas Parade. You can still register a float for the parade up until Tuesday. Applications are at the Columbia-Marion County Library, MCDP and The Columbian-Progress, and the registration fees and applications may be turned in at the library. There will be a mandatory meeting for a representative for each parade participant on Tuesday, Dec. 3 at the Magnolia Grille at 5:30 p.m.
The lining up of the parade this year will be on RA Johnson Drive, and the route will go down Broad Street to Main Street and end at Mayson Avenue.
About 30 minutes after the parade will be the lighting of downtown by Experience Columbia.
The annual Candlelight, Carols and Claus will be held after the lighting. Also after the parade an assortment of activities will be taking place, including train and trolley rides, merchant shopping and food vendors. New activities include Santa’s Workshop, and this year Experience Columbia is attempting to provide Columbia with an outdoor ice skating rink located just to the east of Main Street on Second Street.
“I am really excited about it,” Jacob Harrison with Experience Columbia said.
Harrison said the ice skating rink is going to be a challenge being it is outdoors in South Mississippi, but he said he feels confident and hopeful to be able to pull off. Harrison said ice skates will be available to rent.
Harrison also said he would love the homes of Columbia to be all decked out for Christmas, ready to welcome in all of the people coming from out of town.
Decorations will also be on display at City Park and Bluff Street Park.
While the lights will be on display every night after Dec. 7 throughout the month, each weekend will have a different theme.
The weekend of Dec. 13 the theme will be “A Cartoon Christmas” with different cartoon characters walking around available for pictures.
Pajama party will be the theme for the weekend of Dec. 20 with everyone enjoying downtown in their pajamas.
As of right now, according Nik Ingram with Main Street Inc., there are no plans for Sunday, Dec. 22, but on Dec. 23 and Dec. 24 downtown will be alive again with “A Christmas Carol” with characters from the timeless classic strolling around.
Finally the celebration will end on Jan. 4 with activities going on until 9 p.m. when the fireworks are set off to celebrate the New Year
Kristian Agoglia with Experience Columbia thanked Wolfe Lumber Yard, Walmart, Hill Hardware, Relevant Design, St. James Lighting, L&W Glass, Dungan Engineering, Debris Tech, Mickey Webb, Woodlawn Church, Church on Main, Southern Tire Mart, T.L. Wallace, Tractor Supply, M.D. Electric, Emmanuel Baptist Church and Mark Carithers as among the businesses and individuals who have donated supplies and manpower to set up for the Christmas celebration. n
