It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go. Weather it be driving down Maynardville Hwy and seeing the snowflakes hanging from the light poles or walking through Walmart and seeing the section of lite up Christmas trees and inflatable yard decorations down the aisle.
On December 12 at 2:30 Maynardville Hwy will be filled with fire trucks, church floats, and joyfully smiling young children as they see the Christmas holiday brining the community together through the annual Union County Christmas Parade that is sponsored by the Union County Rescue Squad.
With the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling last years parade, everyone is encouraged to participate in this year’s annual Union County Christmas Parade. Weather you entire in a float or simply come to watch the parade, this is a great event to celebrate the Christmas season while still staying socially distant and safe during the holidays.
For over three decades our community has come together for some fun competition with this year having a new aspect to the parade.
While the parade will still feature the classic categories, the Union County Business and Professionals Association (UCBPA) has added their own competition to encourage local and family-owned businesses to join in on the festivities.
This year there will be 10 categories associated with the annual parade and 1 additional category just for UCBPA members.
Trophies will be awarded to those that bring the best of show to the parade. The categories associated with the annual parade are best antique car or truck from 1950 or older, best classic car or truck from 1951 to 1975, best late model car or truck from 1976 to 2001, antique tractor, best club float, best horse and wagon or buggy, best horse and rider, best commercial float, best religious float, and lastly the best heavy-duty truck.
Tammie Hill, a local realtor and UCBPA board member is coordinating the new addition to the parade and encourages all members to participate as the association hoped to see the Maynardville parade grow for years to come.
All UCBPA members that sign up by December 10 will receive a UCBPA logo to put on the side of their float and have the opportunity to have their float named the best UCBPA member float.
This is a great way for local businesses to interact with the community and make connections that will allow our community to grow closer together.
The UCBPA floats will be incorporated in the annual parade but will be judged by a separate panel of judges that is being put together by another UCBPA board member, Amy Masterson. Masterson is also a member of the Union County Farmer’s Market Board.
There is no registration fee for parade participates, but the Union County Rescue Squad asks that all participants arrive by 1:30 to be set-up in line and follow all parade rule in order to allow the event to run smoothly.
For more information on the parade participants can contact the rescue squad at (865)992-3811. Along with this any and all UCBPA members wishing to participate can contact Tammie Hill at (865)256-3805 or through email at tammiehillrealtor@gmail.com.