ATHENS-Iformation regarding traffic and the annual Athens Christmas Parade:
Traffic Information from Athens Police
The Athens-Limestone Christmas Parade will be Thursday, Dec. 2, at 6 p.m.
The parade will start at Athens Middle School on U.S. 31, cross the highway to Hobbs Street and go west to Jefferson Street, go around The Square and then go south on Jefferson Street to Hometown or the Athens-Limestone Public Library.
- Athens Police Chief Floyd Johnson asks that motorists remember Pryor Street is closed at the round-a-bout project, and Alabama 251 at Lindsay Lane is closed for that round-a-bout project.
- Athens State University students who have tests the evening of Dec. 2 need to make plans to arrive at the university before the parade starts. Once the parade starts, traffic will not be allowed on Hobbs Street.
- There will be heavy pedestrian traffic along the route ahead of the parade. Please slow down and watch for children crossing the road.
Information for Newcomers Attending Their First Christmas Parade in Athens
The Athens-Limestone Christmas Parade is a much-loved tradition in the city, but newcomers may not be aware of how seriously Athenians take the parade – almost like preparing for an SEC football weekend with the parking, tailgating and festivities. So, here are some tips:
- The parade traditionally is held the first Thursday in December at 6 p.m.
- People park early, as in first thing the morning of the parade. They have their favorite spots along the route and will park one vehicle and head off to work in another. Expect to see parked vehicles all along Hobbs Street, The Square and Jefferson Street.
- Plan to be cold. The National Weather Service says the high for Dec. 2 is 71 degrees and the low 48, but Athenians know that typically, parade night can be one of the coldest of the year. Don’t let Mother Nature catch you unprepared. Better to be prepared and not need the gloves, scarves, boggans (that’s short for toboggans) and blankets than to be cold without them.
- Plan to tailgate. Because of the crowd – the parade draws thousands – you’ll need to arrive early. Depending on your parking spot, you may have to wait up to an hour for the parade to reach you. Bring hot chocolate, snacks, blankets and chairs.
- While you’re waiting, bring the kids to the Courthouse at 5 p.m. to see the lighting of the Christmas tree. There will be man-made “snow,” Christmas carols and a visit from Santa before he has to get in the parade lineup. Go ahead and say, “It looks like a Hallmark movie!” We’ve heard that many times, but we never get tired of hearing it.
- Meet your neighbors. You’ll have folks all around you, so meet the people on the tailgate to your left, in the back of the SUV to your right and sitting in chairs on the roadside.
- Bring cash if you like to give in to your kids’ “I want” demands. It’s like a fair. There will be vendors selling things that sparkle, light up, whirl, etc., and your kids will ask you to buy something.
- Once the parade starts, do not despair if there is a pause after 10 or 20 entries. A train or two or three will inevitably stop the parade’s progress throughout the night. Keep reading to find out how to know the parade has ended.
- The floats will be impressive, the fire trucks will be loud, the marching bands will be festive…and there will be 146 such parade entries. Bring lots of hot chocolate and snacks.
- Per Athens tradition, there is only supposed to be one Santa in the parade – the Santa Claus – and he has reindeer guiding his way along the route. His arrival is around the time the horses trot through. When you see horse poop in the road, THE Santa and patrol cars behind him, the parade has ended. Vehicles hurriedly pulling into the street to avoid waiting in long lines of traffic will be another clue.
