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The always-fun, always-unique Bluffton Christmas Parade is an event you won’t want to miss.
The 40th annual parade, which will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3, will showcase more than 100 entrants, including bands, floats and walkers. Two of the most popular groups are back this year to entertain parade-goers: the Dancing Reindeer (which never fail to bring smiles to the crowd) and the Ladies Drill Team (which marches, well, to its own beat), and much more.
Photo by Rob Kaufman
And of course Santa Claus will make an appearance from atop a fire truck at the end of the parade.
“We Blufftonians are a little eccentric, and the parade reflects that,” said Tammy Malone, town of Bluffton facilities director. “It’s something that people look forward to all year round.”
This year’s parade theme is “Christmas is what you make of it.” To reflect the theme, bands, floats, walkers and all others are encouraged to display what makes Christmas special.
The parade will begin at Town Hall and head down Bridge Street to Calhoun Street to May River Road to Pin Oak Street and finish at Oscar Frazier Park.
Malone advises parade-goers to get their spots on the parade route by 10 a.m. because streets in old town start shutting down around that time.
The weekend also features other events, including the Town Hall tree lighting at 5 p.m., and the Promenade tree lighting at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec.2. “A Christmas Walk in Old Town Bluffton” will also be held that night, and will include live music, Christmas caroling, refreshments, holiday bargains at local shops and more. There will also be free “Holly Jolly Holiday Tours” offered from 5-8 p.m. on the old town trolley, and The Storybook Shoppe on Calhoun will serve cookies and cocoa after the parade.
For more information or to enter to march in the parade, call 843-706-4500.
- Sally Mahan
