By Lana Clifton
The second annual Bryant Christmas Parade of Lights will begin at 7 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 3. The parade route will begin on the south side of the Interstate on Reynolds Road. Floats will line up at the Bryant Middle School parking lot at 6 p.m. The parade will begin there and will continue up Sullivan to Reynolds Road where it will go south to its conclusion at First Southern Baptist Church.[more]
“Spectators are advised to view the parade on Reynolds Road beginning at the intersection of Reynolds and Sullivan and going on to First Southern Baptist,” recommended Rae Ann Fields, Executive Director of the Chamber of Commerce. Fields stressed that the whole parade would take place on the south side of the interstate.
According to Chamber representative, Carrie Roedel, 40 entries have been officially registered so far, with more expected. Roedel said entries include school groups, Bryant High School band and cheerleaders, horses and a barrel train. A fire truck carrying Santa Claus will be the last float in the parade.
After the parade, spectators are invited to drive over the interstate to an after party at Midtown on Commonwealth Drive off of Highway 5. Those wishing to attend the party are instructed to follow searchlights to the event, which will begin at 7:30 p.m. and conclude at 9 p.m.
The party will feature a Christmas movie on a giant screen and the reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” Radio Disney is scheduled to entertain with music and games, and refreshments will be available courtesy of First Security Bank and the Ken Young Company. Santa Clause will be at the party, ready to pose for photos for a donation of a non-perishable food item to go to the local food pantry.
Fields credits Parade chair Carla Harris with organizing the event. Harris is an employee of First Security Bank and a member of the board for the Chamber of Commerce. Fields said, until last year, she had many people asking why there was no Christmas parade in Bryant, but no one willing to take charge of the project. She added that Harris agreed to be chairperson with State Senator Shane Broadway’s help. After the first parade last year, Harris agreed to do it again.
“Carla has been the person to make it happen,” said Fields. She said Broadway, Grand Marshall of the parade, helped Harris this year as well.
For more information about either event, contact the Chamber of Commerce at Bryantcofc@aristotle.net or 847-4702.
