Christmas countdown
Market, parade anchor festive lineup
A child visits with Santa and Mrs. Claus during last year’s Holiday Market event in Historic Downtown Clinton. (photo:G. Chambers Williams III )
Also, Norris Dam State Park will present its annual old-time Christmas in the Park on Saturday from 4-8 p.m.
That event will take place at the Lenoir Museum, Gristmill, and Crosby Threshing Barn, which are along Norris Freeway (U.S. 441) between Andersonville Highway and Norris Dam.
Christmas in the Park is free, and will include children’s crafts, warm drinks, a pie supper auction, live folk music, and Santa Claus in the Lenoir Museum.
In downtown Clinton, the Holiday Market runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday. It includes the brick-and-mortar stores, along with street vendors, food trucks and more on Main Street and in the parking lot on Commerce Street.
Then from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, downtown Clinton merchants will present their annual Cookie Crawl, featuring free cookies and other refreshments in the stores, along with visits from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and The Grinch.
While Market Street remains closed to vehicular traffic for construction, visitors will still be able to access the downtown stores, some of which even have rear entrances.
• Oak Ridge’s annual Christmas parade will be held beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday.
It will form at Corporate Center (151 Lafayette Drive) and turn West onto the Oak Ridge Turnpike, then proceeding to the Oak Ridge High School area.