City of New Albany’s 2018 Christmas Parade Date Set

New Albany, MS, October, 2018 – The City of New Albany’s Community Development office has set a date for the 2018 Christmas Parade.

“This year’s parade will be on Monday after the Thanksgiving Holidays, the 26th of November,” director Billye Jean Stroud announced. “We received suggestions for other options from many of our community members. However, we decided to keep the traditional date for this year, with the possibility of trying something different in the future.”

The theme of the parade is Christmas in Toyland.

2018 Christmas Parade applications and judging criteria

Applications are available at the Community Development & Main Street office, 135 E. Bankhead Street, and online at newalbanymainstreet.com.

There is a $10 application fee. First-place winner of the six categories – business, civic group, church, youth group, school group, and adult group – will be awarded $100. The judging criteria will be based on each group’s ability to project the parade theme of Christmas in Toyland and promote the spirit of Christmas in New Albany. The deadline for applying is Monday, November 19th. Applications must be dropped off or mailed to the New Albany Main Street Association.

2018 Christmas Parade route. Click to enlarge

Parade line-up and route changes for 2018

Parade line-up will be from 4:00-5:45pm on November 26that the Union County Library’s lower parking lot. All parade participants should enter at the King Street entrance behind Rutledge Printing. Parade Committee directors and judges will help participants into the correct line.

The parade will begin at 6:00 pm sharp, exiting the library parking lot onto Carter Avenue and proceeding up to Main Street. Then, the parade will head west on Main Street, going around the corner to Bankhead Street, turning east, traveling through the historic downtown shopping district, and going past the Union County Courthouse. The route will finish by turning south onto Camp Avenue, heading back onto Main Street, moving under the Tanglefoot Trail walking bridge, and ending back at the lower library parking lot.

The 2018 Christmas Parade Committee is currently taking suggestions for a Grand Marshall. Please share those with director Billye Jean Stroud at your convenience. Nominations will be brought to the committee for discussion on November 1st.

If you would like more information, call Billye Jean Stroud at (662) 534-3438 or email her assistant, Tracy Vainisi, at tvainisi1967@gmail.com.

Christmas parade 2018 Rules and Judging criteria

Christmas Parade 2018 Application Form (click to download or print)

For further information, contact:  Community Development & Main Street office, 135 E. Bankhead Street, and online at newalbanymainstreet.com.