CROTHERSVILLE — A second Jackson County community will have a Christmas parade on Dec. 2.
The first one will be at 1 p.m. during the 51st annual Medora Christmas Festival, and the second one will be at 5:30 p.m. as Crothersville celebrates the holiday.
The latter was proposed by resident Harley Wooten during a recent Crothersville Town Council meeting. The town’s parks board organized a Christmas parade for a few years, but it hasn’t happened since then.
“I think that it’s a great idea for our small community,” Wooten said.
She noted Medora, North Vernon and Austin all have Christmas parades that day, and she wasn’t sure if Crothersville should do it the same day or not.
“I won’t be able to attend, but I would be more than happy to help,” she said. “I can make flyers. I can help with signups. I can help with cleanup afterwards.”
She initially shared her parade proposal on the Crothersville IN Bulletin Board Facebook group page, and then she got in touch with Councilman Chad Wilson. They came up with Dec. 2 being the best date.
“Hamacher Hall has a lot of events going on that day. Plus, Light Up Crothersville is that day,” Wilson said. “They’ve already scheduled cookies with Santa, just a whole day of activities. We were thinking that would be a great day to have the parade to end the festivities with the parade ending at Hamacher Hall, then people gathering at the Christmas tree at the stoplight for the official lighting of the Christmas tree.”
Hamacher Hall festivities include a biscuits and gravy breakfast at 9 a.m., a Christmas craft show from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Christmas ornament making throughout the day, cookies with Santa at 6 p.m. and an auction at 7 p.m.
Wooten and the council initially agreed on having the parade at 4:30 p.m. That way, Santa could be in the parade and make his way into Hamacher Hall for its festivities.
Since then, though, the time was changed to 5:30 p.m.
“Another reason why we were looking at this date, too, I checked with the athletic director at the school, and no athletic events are going on that night, so that would be a great evening for better opportunity for local citizens to come and enjoy this event,” Wilson said.
“I think that would be cool to have that whole day of different things going on,” council Vice President Terry Richey said.
Clerk-Treasurer Danieta Foster said council President Jason Hillenburg told her the Crothersville-Vernon Township Volunteer Fire Department is on board with participating in the parade. He also is a firefighter with the department.
Anyone else interested in being part of the parade may register online at signupgenius.com/go/10C0845A4A72DA6FCC07-46131486-crothersville.
The categories are emergency vehicles, school/kids, cars/trucks/trailers, ATVs and livestock. There is no cost to enter. Christmas lights and/or decorations are encouraged.
Entries must be at Crothersville Community Schools by 5:15 p.m. for lineup. The parade route will be on the east side of town.
Also at that online link, people can sign up to help with lineup and cleanup.
“I think it’s a great idea. Thank you for posting, getting this headed up,” Wilson said to Wooten. “Sounds great. I’m excited.”