Parades will be marching through six area towns, sparking the holiday season.
The 25th annual Vian Lion's Club Christmas Parade of Lights will be walking through Vian at 6 p.m. Dec. 2.
Mary Sloan, Lion's Club president, said the parade will have a "Joy To the World" theme. The parade line up will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the west end of Main Street. The route will then travel to U.S. Highway 64, north on State Highway 82 past the nursing home, back to Main Street, and then end where it began.
Sloan said the club is encouraging entries in the pulled floats. The grand prize is $100, and honorable mention is $50 plus a trophy.
Plaques will be given in six classes, including best band, best car or truck, best animal, best four-wheeler, best three-wheeler, and best clown.
The veterans of World War II will also be honored at the event.
The parade's grand marshal is O.L. "Dink" Hefton.
Sloan said Santa will also be at the town's gazebo handing out sacks of fruit, nuts, and candy after the parade.
For more information, contact any Vian Lion's Club member.
The Roland Chamber of Commerce will be holding its annual Christmas parade at noon Dec. 4.
Ella Redden, chamber secretary, said the theme of this year's parade is "Christmas 2004: Remembering Family Tradition." Line up for the parade starts at 11 a.m. at Roland School.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the best entries, including a first-place prize of $100, second-place prize of $75 and third-place prize of $50.
For more information or to register to be part of the parade, residents can contact the Roland chamber office at P.O. Box 492, Roland, Okla. 74954 or by fax at (918) 427-5545. They may also contact Redden at (918) 427-5551.
The Sallisaw Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring a Dec. 4 Christmas parade and Santa's Workshop.
Sallisaw's annual Christmas parade will be held in the evening, with line up at 4:30 p.m. on Choctaw Street. The parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. The grand marshals for the parade will be State Rep. Glen "Bud" Smithson (D-Sallisaw) and State Sen. Kenneth Corn (D-Poteau).
Judy Martens, chamber executive vice president, said this year the floats will be separated into three categories to be judged, including businesses, non-profit organizations, and schools, and cash prizes will be awarded to each winner. To qualify for the cash prizes, the entries must be floats.
Martens said the floats will be judged on originality, difficulty, and eye appeal.
The parade will come in on Main Street from Choctaw, turn east on Cherokee Street, and end at Journey Church.
Martens cautions float riders to not throw candy from the floats to children, especially since it will be dark and they won't be able to see the children.
For Santa's Workshop, which is also at no cost to the public, Martens said non-profit organizations and businesses will have 10-by-10-foot booths set up at the chamber building, at the corner of Wheeler and Cherokee Avenues. She said the organizations can create various activities, such as make-and-take home crafts, and games for the children.
Santa will also be available for children to share their Christmas wish lists. The event is set from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Float and Santa's Workshop forms are available at the chamber office. The chamber will accept the forms until Monday. For more information, contact the chamber at (918) 775-2558.
"A Soldier's Christmas" is the theme of the annual Gore Christmas parade slated for 11 a.m. Dec. 11, Teresa Barrick with the Gore Chamber of Commerce office, said.
Barrick said special seating at the parade will be available for relatives of soldiers or people in the armed forces at home or abroad.
The parade line up starts at 10:30 a.m. at the south end of town at Cawhorn Road. The parade will travel down Main Street and end at Harp's Grocery. Helen and Monroe Moore will be the grand marshals for the parade.
First, second, and third place trophies will be awarded in two categories, which include commercial and non-commercial floats.
Barrick said the town will also be awarding trophies for best band, antique car, mule skinner, horseman, bicycle, and motorized vehicle.
Santa will also be at the parade, and candy will be handed out to children who attend.
For more information, contact Larry Carter at (918) 489-2072, Barrick at (918) 489-2636, or Judy Merrill at (918) 489-2337.
The Muldrow Lion's Club is sponsoring an "Old Fashioned Christmas" parade at 6 p.m. Dec. 11.
Catherine Jones, Lion's Club treasurer and the town's mayor, said parade line up will start at about 5 p.m. near Agent Chapel and Eastern Heights shopping center on Shawntel Smith Boulevard. The parade will travel west, turn right on Main Street, and end at Muldrow City Hall.
Cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50 will be awarded to floats for first, second, and third place.
Jones said they are urging churches, civic organizations, or anyone who wants to participate in the parade. She said those interested can call (918) 427-7565 after noon, or show up at the parade and organizers will fit them in. She said floats, antique cars, or any other type of vehicle can participate in the parade.
Lion's Club members will be passing out sacks of candy to children and Santa will also be riding the fire truck during the parade.
The date of Marble City's Christmas parade is set for 1 p.m. Dec. 11 with line up starting at noon. Your TIMES was unable to reach Marble City officials for more details about the town's parade.
