Chamber Chat
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Do you feel that chill in the morning air? Feels like fall to me. I’m not trying to rush the seasons but before you know it, Christmas will be here. This coming week at the Chamber will start a fast-paced 30 days as we begin preparing for the Sanford Christmas Parade. The parade this year will be a daytime event held on Sunday afternoon, November 23 at 2:30 PM. The parade will follow the traditional route: beginning at the Elks Club going east on Wicker St. to Steele St., then back west on Carthage St. (although Jimmy Haire tells me that early on, the parade traveled down Moore St.).
As those of you who are as old as I am will remember, the parade was produced by the Sanford Jaycees for 58 years. Unfortunately, like many other civic clubs across the country, membership declined to just a few core volunteers. The Chamber was approached about managing this year’s parade and we agreed. What would our community be without a Christmas Parade? (Note: The Central Carolina Jaycees remain a vital organization in our community. Their club recently produced the Pumpkin Festival in support of the Lee County Partnership for Children…visit their website at www.centralcarolinajaycees.org ) We hope we can begin some new traditions and continue some old ones.
We are excited about the possibilities for partnering with our merchants and businesses, as well as our churches and civic organizations. Our aim is to ensure that the parade is a success for all who are involved and affected by it: organizers, participants, merchants along the parade route and certainly those who come to watch.
Of course, it costs money to put on the parade. Bands no longer attend parades for free. Fuel for buses is expensive. Floats, built and decorated by professionals, are costly to rent. In these difficult economic times, the Chamber’s goal for this year’s parade is to break even. Our web site contains the information about participating in this year’s parade. If you have any questions, please call the Chamber at 775-7341.
The Sanford Parade was for many years the largest nighttime parade in North Carolina. This year’s parade will be during the day in the hopes that more families with young children and senior citizens will attend. If the response is good, we’ll continue it as a daytime parade. If not, we’ll switch back to a night event. In cooperation with The Chamber, Downtown Sanford Inc. is planning a community event at Depot Park after the parade. Here is the schedule of events for the afternoon of Sunday, November 23rd:
Noon to 7 pm: Downtown Merchants Holiday Showcase
§ Some downtown merchants will be open and offer special purchase items especially for Christmas shoppers. Some merchants will offer discount coupons to encourage shoppers to return after Sunday for special Christmas purchases.
§ Best window display and best storefront contest
§ The Parade will being at 2:30 in the afternoon and reach Steele St. at approximately 3
§ Following the Parade, Santa will be at Depot Park. Later, a community caroling concert will feature church choirs.
§ The Christmas Tree Lighting will take place at 6 PM.
