Pelham Christmas parade returns for third annual event

Published 11:56 am Monday, December 11, 2023

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By BARTON PERKINS | Staff Writer

PELHAM – The night of Saturday, Dec. 9 was a crisp 59 degrees in Pelham as the city’s third annual Christmas Parade marched down the city’s streets.

“We started at the Pelham Civic Complex, and we came out onto Oak Mountain road, then we came out onto 31 and then down 119 and then circled back onto Amphitheatre Road,” said Melissa Hole of Pelham Strong. “The Pelham Civic Complex was then open for families after the parade ended.”

Thousands of residents turned out for this year’s parade, and lined the roads of Pelham to watch from folding chairs as members of different community groups came out in their parade floats.

“All the city departments were there as well, like the police department, fire department and the Ballantrae Golf Club,” Pelham Strong Co-Founder Chad Leverett said.

This year’s sponsor road had a number of local businesses as sponsors including Half-Shell Oyster House, Buck Creek Coffee Shop, the Enchanted Princesses and the Colonial Pipeline.

“93.3-FM ‘The River’ was set up on sponsor road where they played music,” Leverett said. “They were also broadcasting the commentary from the radio station 93.3.”

The parade itself began at 5 p.m. and ran until well into the evening, and was followed by a series of skating events at the Pelham Civic Complex and Ice Arena.

“Between 7-9 p.m., Beauty and the Beast and Spider-Man were at the Civic Complex skating on the ice,” Leverett said.

Aside from the parade and the ice skating, residents had the chance to enjoy a variety of other activities including having pictures taken with Santa Claus and a toy drive for charity.

“We try to gear this towards a ten-year-old’s mind,” Leverett said. “That’s why we had ice skating this year and the pictures with Santa. We want the children when they come to this, no matter what is happening in their life, to have the best time they possibly can.”

Overall, the third annual Pelham Christmas parade was a great success and was enjoyed by all who attended.

“My favorite part of the parade by far is seeing the smile on the children’s faces,” Leverett said. “When I see police officers who are working that night and they’re standing at their shift with smiles on their faces—it’s a fun family event for a special town.”