Well, the Band of Blue didn’t make it, but plenty of other folks did. Hundreds of people lined the streets of downtown Cornelia Tuesday night to watch the 2018 Habersham County Christmas Parade.
Bicentennial Birthday
This year’s theme was Bicentennial Birthday in celebration of Habersham County’s 200th year. Originally it was scheduled as a Saturday morning parade but turned into a Tuesday night lighted one after bad weather caused organizers to delay it.
Community Development Manager Jessie Owensby says, “I was so incredibly impressed with what everyone could do to illuminate their floats in just three short days. The entries did a fantastic job!”
That schedule change may have caused some entries to drop out – the most noticeable absence was Habersham Central High School’s marching Band of Blue – but it didn’t kill the Christmas spirit. There was plenty of cheer in the crowd as WCON Radio pumped Christmas music through speakers into the night air and kids scrambled for candy thrown from the floats.
Local businessman John Borrow served as Grand Marshal.
A living nativity at First Presbyterian Church of Cornelia added to the seasonal mood. Kids petted the live animals and the church handed out hot drinks.
Even amidst the festivities it was clear that Habersham was still a community in mourning as local law enforcement paid tribute to slain Dekalb County Police Officer Edgar Flores. Flores, of Baldwin, was killed in the line of duty on December 13. Deputies rode in the parade wearing ribbons with Flores’ name on them.
Owensby says the parade was such a success, she plans to continue the “night” theme and also keep it on a weeknight when it rolls back around to Cornelia in 2021. “That really seemed to work for everyone, and we received a ton of positive feedback,” she says.
photographer/videographer Daniel Purcell
