Usher in the holiday season in Stuart on Friday and Saturday with Hometown Christmas, which will offer holiday festivities for all.
The Grand Illumination is slated to be held on Friday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m. The Christmas tree located at the Patrick County Courthouse in Stuart will be turned on, according to Chris Prutting, executive director of One Family Productions, which partners with the Patrick County Chamber of Commerce on the project.
Friday also is the final day to buy a Love Light and help support the Patrick County Alzheimer’s Group, LLC. Love Lights are $5 per light and must be purchased by noon.
Businesses on Main Street also “will be open late that evening for people to take advantage of, and then we’ll have pictures with Santa right there at the courthouse as well,” Prutting said.
The photo opportunity is donation-based, he said. Those who wish to participate are asked to bring their own photography equipment.
Hometown Christmas continues on Saturday, Dec. 3 with several activities, including the 50th annual Patrick County Christmas Parade at 2 p.m., he said of the parade that is sponsored by One Family Productions.
More than 100 entries had registered to appear in the parade as of last week, Prutting said.
That number will “probably get closer to 200 by parade day,” he said, and estimated the parade will last about two hours.
The lineup for entries begins at 12 p.m. on Wood Brother’s Drive, near Moody’s Funeral Home.
“The parade route starts there, then goes down Blue Ridge Street where it takes a right onto Main Street and then follows Main Street down into Downtown Stuart,” Prutting said.
The organization is also accepting registration for floats and displays for the parade. Entries are accepted until the day of the parade. The entry fee is $25.
Those interested in registering can go to Facebook.com/PatrickCountyChristmasParade or www.onefamilyproductions.org to get a form.
Paper registration forms can be found at the Chamber of Commerce, the Stuart site of the Blue Ridge Regional Library, or WHEO radio station.
For more information, email pcchristmasparade@gmial.com or call Prutting at (276) 692-7195.
