Saturday BIG day for Christmas events in Anderson County
Saturday EVENTS at a glance
Clinton: Holiday Market, downtown, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Cookie Crawl, downtown, 1-4 p.m.
Norris: Winter Festival, downtown commons area and Norris Middle School, 2-6 p.m.; Christmas parade at 6 p.m.
Oak Ridge: Christmas Parade, Lafayette Drive and Oak Ridge Turnpike, 6 p.m.
The annual Holiday Market and Cookie Crawl in Historic Downtown Clinton, and the Norris Winter Festival will highlight this Saturday’s holiday events, along with Christmas parades in Norris and Oak Ridge.
In downtown Clinton, the Holiday Market runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 9. It includes the brick-and-mortar stores, along with street vendors, food trucks and more.
Then from 1-4 p.m. Saturday, downtown Clinton merchants will present their annual Cookie Crawl, featuring free cookies and other refreshments in the stores, along with visits from Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus and The Grinch.
Just a few miles away, the third-annual Norris Winter Festival will be held in the downtown commons area and at Norris Middle School from 2-6 p.m. Saturday, followed by the Norri Christmas parade at 6 p.m.
Oak Ridge’s annaul Christmas parade will be held beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday. It will form at Corporate Center (151 Lafayette Drive) and turn West onto the Oak Ridge Turnpike, then proceed to the Oak Ridge High School area.
The Norris Winter Festival will feature music, crafts, local artisans, and more. At least 40 vendors are expected.
This event “provides local entrepreneurs an opportunity to sell food, crafts, books, and more for our gift-giving and personal enjoyment,” according to its promoters. The festival is sponsored by the Norris Recreation Commission.
“Candy Land” vendors will serve caramel corn, hot chocolate and cider, cookies, maple syrup, homemade pies, and cupcakes inside the Norris Middle School Cafeteria.
Vendors there will feature homemade candies, chutneys, jams and jellies, beef jerky, baked holiday gifts, and more.
“The Village,” in the Lions Club Pavilion in front of the middle school, will include woodworking and carvings, dog biscuits, crochet, and tatting, jewelry,
bird food and feeders, leather items, handmade pottery, aromatherapy products, herbal remedies, crocheted rugs, bath and body products, baby items,
and handcrafted goat milk
soaps.
There will also be wreaths and Christmas ornaments, including plushies and felted wool ornaments.
Former Norris resident Catie Toennisson will feature wildlife watercolor paintings, prints, children’s books, and stickers; Deana Charcalla will return with children’s books; and Norris native author David Peters will be signing his book, “Little Boy Lost.”
Jay Miller will present music beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the Lil Stars Cheer Team at 2 p.m.
Photo opportunities with your pets will be offered by the Norris Animal Shelter from 1:15 to 3:30 p.m., and there will be cat toys available to purchase.
Food trucks will be on hand. April’s Grill will feature burgers, hot dogs, chicken tenders and fries, and The Potato Chef will offer meals inside spuds.
Children’s activities will include games in front of the middle school; the Kids Corner in the Betty Anne Jolly Norris Library; and foods, such as hot dogs, s’mores, popcorn, and candies.
Parking will be available in the lot behind the middle school, and Jim McGunn and his golf cart will be available for rides from the parking lot to The Village and Candyland.
ORNL Federal Credit Union
is once again sponsoring the Winter Festival and will be giving away items at its booth in The Village.
Stop by the information booth and pick-up a card to win prizes sponsored by the Winter Festival Committee.
Winter Festival will open at 1 p.m. with a reading of the real Christmas story by the Rev. David Seibers.
The parade begins immediately at 6 p.m., and will include Santa Claus.
Festival promoters invite anyone who is in a “decorating mood” to join them at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8, “to transform the Lions Club Pavilion, school lawn and commons area into the Winter Festival.”
For more information, contact Kim de Ropp at 865-314-5740 or Sally Jackson at 865-599-0137.
Coming up next week:
On Friday and Saturday, Dec. 15-16: The annual Museum of Appalachia Candlelight Christmas event will from 4-9 p.m. both days. Get tickets at the museum or museumofappalachia.org.
On Sunday, Dec. 17, Norris Dam State Park will present old-time Christmas in the Park at the Lenoir Museum, Gristmill, and Crosby Threshing Barn from 4 to 8 p.m.
It’s free and for the family, and will include children’s crafts, warm drinks, a pie supper auction, live folk music, and Santa Claus.
The activities are just off Norris Freeway (U.S. 441) between Andersonville Highway and Norris Dam.