GREEN COVE SPRINGS — Residents started staking their spots along the parade route on U.S. Highway 17 before noon for Saturday night's Christmas on Walnut Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting, and for …
This item is available in full to subscribers.
To continue reading, you will need to either log in to your subscriber account, below, or purchase a new subscription.
Please log in to continueDon't have an ID?Print subscribersIf you're a print subscriber, but do not yet have an online account, click here to create one. Non-subscribersClick here to see your options for subscribing. Single day passYou also have the option of purchasing 24 hours of access, for $1.00. Click here to purchase a single day pass. |
GREEN COVE SPRINGS — Residents started staking their spots along the parade route on U.S. Highway 17 before noon for Saturday night's Christmas on Walnut Parade and Christmas Tree Lighting, and for good reason.
By the time the parade started at 6, people were lined up five- and six-deep on both sides of the highway from the Clay County Courthouse to City Hall to watch the 75-minute, 80-plus float parade.
Clay High graduate, eight-time Olympic swimming gold medalist and five-time world record holder Caeleb Dressel returned home to be honored as "Hometown Hero" in the parade.
Parade organizers from the Green Cove Springs Business League, the City and the Green Cove Springs Police Department estimated the crowd to be a record, surpassing last year's number than included the multitude in Spring Park for the lighting of the 45-foot Christmas Tree or strolling through the 225 Parade of Trees, was estimated at nearly 10,000.
TNT Concrete Supply won the Best Decorated Vehicle, while Clay High FFA won the Best School or Scout Group, Clay High Blue Devil Brigade won the Best Marching Band, In Line Lawn and Fence won the Best Float, and Hagan Ace Hardware won the Best Use of Theme — "A Vintage Christmas."
