They love a parade
Mild weather brings out the crowds for Christmas Parade
Watching the Rocky Top Christmas parade from their perch across Main Street from City Hall last Friday night were, from left: Easton Robert, 4; mom Haley Carroll; Jonathan Starks; and Destiny Carroll. (photo:G. Chambers Williams III )
The crowds might have been bolstered by the mild weather, as the sky was clear and the temperature was in the upper 60s during the parade, which took well over an hour to make its way from the south end of town to the interstate.
Most Christmas parades were canceled last year because of the COVID pandemic, but that didn’t stop this year’s event.
The city held a lighting ceremony for the downtown Christmas tree before the parade began, then people started lining the sidewalks for the expected 7 p.m. parade start.
Anderson County Sheriff Russell Barker, Rebecca Sweet and Mike Lovely were the parade judges this year. Award winners will be honored at the City Council meeting beginning at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 16 at City Hall.
This year’s winners were:
• Floats: First place, Clear Branch Baptist Church; second place, Seepy Eyed John’s; third place, Rocky Top Dentistry.
• Groups: First, Willow Brook Baptist Church; second, Lake City Football, No. 2.
• Tractor: First, Daniel Gentry.
• Hot Wheels: first, Harold Collins; second, Brad Shadrick; third, Mike and Vickie Foust.
• ATV/UTV: First, Alley Smiddy.
Participants included the Anderson County High School Band, local churches and businesses, schools, the high school’s JROTC unit, and various elected officials and candidates for office.
Fourth-graders from Lake City Elementary School rode on a flatbed tow truck from Lowe’s Tows.
The city’s 2021 Mayor’s Award recipients were the Spitzer family (in memory of the late Fire Chief Ronnie Spitzer) and the Phillips family (in memory of the late city police and fire dispatcher Red Phillips).
The 2021 Grand Marshal recipient was the Baggett family (in memory of Henry Baggett).