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Garner tree lighting, parade lead local holiday events

Staff reports

The town of Garner has planned a line-up of holiday events for residents of all ages the first weekend of December.

Tree lighting

The Parks and Recreation Department will host its annual tree lighting ceremony on Main Street Friday, Dec. 4 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Mayor Ronnie Williams, 2009 Miss Garner Outstanding Teen and 2009 Miss Garner Chelsea Ingram make appearances at last year’s annual tree lighting event on Main Street. GCNT FILE PHOTO

This year, the department has expanded the traditional ceremony to include even more entertainment, activities and food, including Dance Explosion, Poplar Springs Church choir, the Garner Senior Center Dancers and carolers from True North Church. A highlight of the evening will be the reading of the classic poem, “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.”

Activities for the kids will begin at 6 p.m. inside Santa’s workshop, which is located inside the Sunny Side II Oyster Bar building. Children will get to make holiday crafts and meet Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus.

During this event, Main Street will be closed to through traffic between Emory and Purvis Streets. Plenty of public parking is available along parts of Main Street, in the Garner Baseball parking lot, along Pearl Street and at the Pearl Street Building, at Garner Recreational Park and the Garner Senior Center.

Christmas parade

The holiday celebrations continue Saturday, Dec. 5 with the Garner Christmas Parade, which will begin at 10 a.m.

This year’s parade theme is “Inside Santa’s Workshop.” Tisha Powell, of ABC 11 News, will serve as the parade’s grand marshal. More than 70 participants will take part in the parade and will include area marching bands, floats, emergency vehicles, local merchants and Santa Claus.

This year, the parade will follow a slightly different parade route than that of before. It will begin on Broughton Street and will travel across Garner Road, down Hwy 50 to the corner of Main Street, where it will turn left and proceed until its ends at New Rand Road. This route is somewhat shorter but should allow easier access to and from the area to those viewing the parade.

The best viewing area for the parade will be on Main Street, with optimum viewing at the grandstand located between Purvis and Griffin Streets.

Plenty of public parking will be available along the shoulder of Garner Road, at the Garner Senior Center and Recreational Park, along New Rand Road and limited spaces along Main Street, with the exception of the area between Purvis and Griffin Street. For those in need of handicap parking, limited spaces will be available along Pearl Street and at the Pearl Street Building.

Holiday concerts

The town is also holding free holiday concerts Saturday and Sunday.

The Raleigh Concert Band will play at the Garner Historic Auditorium Saturday, Dec. 5 at 2 p.m. The band will play popular Christmas carols.

The final holiday event will be “Suzanne and Jim: Victorian Christmas.” The traveling duo, dressed in 19th century caroler costumes, will sing old favorite melodies. This concert is free and will take place at Garner Historic Auditorium Sunday, Dec. 6.

For more information on the tree lightning or parade, contact Cherry Gay or Tara Gallagher at 919-772-4688. For more information on the concerts, contact Britt Crews at 919-661-4602.

Related articles:

• Garner at a Glance: Nov. 30

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