Christmas on parade: Dexter, Dublin prepare for annual holiday events

Santa Claus will be making several special visits to Laurens County over the next couple of weeks.

He will be featured in two local Christmas parades a week after being a part of Dudley’s Christmas tree lighting at 6 p.m. on  Nov. 29.

The Dexter Christmas Parade will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6, while the Dublin Christmas Parade will begin at 6 p.m. that evening.

Line-up for the Dexter parade will begin at 8 a.m. at Possum Hollow Ballpark area, said Dexter Mayor Emmett “Rod” Waites. Line up for the parade will begin at 8 a.m. The road will be closed around 10 a.m.

The grand marshal for this year’s parade will be Don Bryant, former Laurens County EMA director and fire chief.

“He has done a lot for the entire county,” Waites said. “The last couple of years we have been doing themes with retired teachers last year. This year we decided to go back to a grand marshal.”

Last day to register to be in the parade is Dec. 4. Anyone with questions can call Dexter City Hall at (478) 875-3838.

“We normally have a good crowd,” Waites said. “People like the shortness of this parade that should be done in about 30 minutes.” 

The Dublin Christmas Parade entrants will begin lining up at 4:30 p.m. and will follow the normal parade route, said Michael Edge, chairman of this year’s event.

“I think everybody has enjoyed the night parade on Saturday a lot better,” Edge said. “We like to see the floats lit up.” 

Edge hopes people will remember the new crosswalk that has recently been placed on Jackson Street. “We’ll need to work around it,” he said. “I’ve told everybody about it. But we will have the same parade route.”

It will start on Telfair Street and make a left at the Laurens County Courthouse before turning at the Dublin Post Office. For more about the parade, call Edge at (478) 697-2866.

Before taking rides in two parades, Old Saint Nick will ride up in an old firetruck to Dylan Harrison Memorial Park. Dudley Mayor Jason Locke said Santa will be available to talk with children after a young person reads the Christmas story from Luke, chapter 2.

People will also be able to take part in some refreshments, including hot chocolate.

“This has been going on for about 25 years or so,” Locke said. “It will be a good time for the community to fellowship.”