By NEAL WAGNER / Managing Editor

ALABASTER – Several local organizations and businesses took home top honors in the city’s 2015 Christmas parade on Dec. 5, which drew thousands of spectators along U.S. 31.

The city set up a judging station in front of the former City Hall building on U.S. 31, and each float in the parade had a chance to conduct 1-minute performances for the judges when they stopped in front of the building.

After the parade, which carried the theme of “A Hometown Christmas” this year, the judges awarded winners in the following categories: Best Holiday Spirit, Best Use of Theme, Best Walking Entry, Most Creative and Most Entertaining.

Out of nearly 200 entries in this year’s parade, the following floats took home top honors from the event’s judges:

-Best Use of Theme: Champy’s Famous Fried Chicken

-Most Creative: Warehouse 31

-Most Entertaining: Sixth Grade Thompson Warriors

-Best Walking Entry: Alabaster Jazzercize

-Best Holiday Spirit: Dance Et Cetera

The parade began at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 5, and followed the same route as last year’s. The route began at the Ernest McCarty Ford dealership on U.S. 31 before turning right onto Second Place Northwest, traveling down First Street Southwest and ending at the stop sign in front of Southbrook Village.

Serving as the grand marshals of this year’s parade were Alabaster resident and U.S. Air Force veteran Thomas Feltman – A veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars whose American flag was recently replaced by the Alabaster Police Department – and Ron Jefferson – A U.S. Navy and Army veteran who served several tours of duty in Vietnam.

In a float directly behind the grand marshals, the city recognized several Alabaster Vietnam War veterans as part of the city’s observance of the 50^th anniversary of the war.

This was the second consecutive year local military veterans have been showcased in the city’s Christmas parade, as the 2014 parade featured former U.S. Army Sgt. Noah Galloway.