Officials with the City of Hopkinsville and the Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation Department are keeping an eye on Saturday’s weather forecast with the annual Christmas Parade approaching the 100-entry mark.
Parks and Recreation Superintendent Toby Hudson said they will monitor Saturday’s forecast which is calling for afternoon thunderstorms and winds and make any necessary decisions. However, unless severe weather conditions arise, Hudson said the parade will go off rain or shine.
click to download audioRachel Sanders with the Parks and Rec Department said the activities will begin Friday with Jack Shaheen lighting the downtown Christmas tree.
click to download audioThe theme of the parade is “Reviving Christmas” in honor of this year’s Grand Marshal Randy Graham, Director of Christian County’s Emergency Management.
Hudson said the parade will be at full capacity on Saturday.
click to download audioParade coverage begins at 5:00 on Saturday with Kimberly Allen and Eddie Owen on WHVO 96.5 FM and online at whvoradio.com. Once again, WHVO is sponsoring the People’s Choice Award for best entry. Allen says the voting process on Saturday is simple.
click to download audioThe parade will begin at Glass Avenue and moves south on Main Street to 14th Street. Glass Avenue will be blocked from 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm. All side streets on Glass Avenue from North Drive to Main Street will be also blocked from 2:30 pm – 6:30 pm.
All side streets on Main Street from Glass Avenue to 14th Street will be blocked from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. and there will be no parking on Main Street from Glass Avenue to 14th Street from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm.
Only parade participants will be allowed on Glass Avenue from 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm.
Santa Claus is expected to make an appearance at the tail end of the parade Saturday. However, if you miss St. Nick, Sanders said he will make an encore appearance in Hopkinsville later this month.
click to download audioAccording to Alissa Keller with the Museums of Historic Hopkinsville and Christian County, the first Hopkinsville Christmas parade was held in 1932. Only twice since then was there no parade — 1951 when Keller said no local organization wanted to put it on and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hopkinsville Christmas parade has been held at night since 2016.
