Christmas Events: Tree lightings, parades ring in holiday season
Holiday events are coming up this weekend in Anderson County as December kicks off, including the Rocky Top Christmas parade this Friday evening, and the Clinton Christmas parade on Saturday evening.
They come on the heels of last weekend’s Shop Small Saturday event in downtown Clinton, which promoted the idea of patronizing locally owned small businesses for this year’s holiday gift purchases.
This week’s holiday happenings begin at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 30, with the Rocky Top Christmas tree lighting at the Rocky Top Public Library. Hot chocolate will be served at the library beginning at 6 p.m.
On Friday, Dec. 1, the Rocky Top Christmas parade, “Christmas in Toyland,” will begin at 7 p.m. at Industrial Park Road and South Main Street, and continue up Main Street to McDonald’s at Interstate 75.
Also on Friday (Dec. 1) from 5-8 p.m. will be the city of Clinton’s fourth-annual “Great Christmas Cookie Bake-off and Chili Cook-off” and tree lighting at the Clinton Community Center, 101 S. Hicks St.
This free event will feature kids’ activities, along with a visit from Santa Claus.
On Saturday, Dec. 2, downtown Clinton will be the site of the Clinton Christmas parade, beginning at 6 p.m. The parade will travel north along Main Street from the courthouse area, then down Market Street.
Oak Ridge’s holiday events also begin Friday with the Christmas tree lighting at 6 p.m. The tree is a Norway spruce provided by the Oak Ridge Woman’s Club.
The event will be near the Secret City Commemorative Walk on the east side of the Oak Ridge Public Library parking area, at the corner of Oak Ridge Turnpike and South Illinois Avenue.
Following the tree lighting, participants will proceed to the outdoor A.K. Bissell Park Pavilion, behind the Oak Ridge Recreation Center, for the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board awards ceremony.
There will also be seasonal music and refreshments provided by Y-12 Federal Credit Union and the Recreation and Parks Advisory Board.
The program will take place outside in the park (weather permitting). In the event of rain, the music program will take place in the Recreation Center’s Shep Lauter Gymnasium.
More events on tap:
• Oak Ridge’s annual Christmas parade will be held beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9.
It will form at Corporate Center (151 Lafayette Drive) and turn West onto the Oak Ridge Turnpike, disbanding near the high school.
• The Holiday Market in downtown Clinton will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. It includes the brick-and-mortar stores, along with street vendors, food trucks and more.
• Also Saturday, Dec. 9, from 1-4 p.m., the merchants will sponsor the annual Cookie Crawl, featuring free cookies and other refreshments in the stores, along with visits from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and The Grinch.
• The Norris Winter Festival will also be held on Saturday, Dec. 9, from 2-6 p.m., followed by the Norris Christmas parade at 6 p.m.
This will be the second-annual Norris Winter Festival, and will be held in the downtown area, featuring music, crafts, local artisans, and more.
• The annual Museum of Appalachia Candlelight Christmas event will be held Friday, Dec. 15, from 4-9 p.m., and again on Saturday, Dec. 16, from 4-9 p.m. Purchase tickets at the museum or online at museumofappalachia.org.