Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
Celebrate the holiday season this weekend in Gatlinburg and Sevierville by attending the festive Christmas parades.
Gatlinburg will kick off the 39th Annual Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5, 2014. The parade begins at traffic light #1A on East Parkway and travels through Gatlinburg to traffic light #10. Thousands of people will line both sides of the parkway to watch the parade so get there early.
This year, Gatlinburg will attempt to break a Guinness World Record for most red Rudolph noses ever worn at a single event by asking 20,000 parade attendees to wear the fun red noses for five minutes. The current world record of 16,092 red noses worn at an event was set in Australia in 2011.
“Gatlinburg “Nose” Christmas! This year’s parade will be one for the record books,” says Gatlinburg PR Manager, Marci Claude. “What is more fun than being counted as one of 20,000 people wearing red Rudolph noses during the parade? We hope everyone will come out and make history with us!”
Anyone who would like to be part of the breaking the Guinness World Record should pick up their Rudolph red nose at one of these four locations: 1) At Traffic Light #3. 2) At the Christmas Tree near Traffic Light #5. 3) At Reagan Terrace Mall (center of downtown) 4) At the Gatlinburg Convention Center on the Parkway near Traffic Light #8. Participants can visit Gatlinburg.com/Christmas following the event to obtain a promo code for a Guinness World Record certificate.
Gatlinburg’s Fantasy of Lights Christmas Parade will feature more than a mile of floats, marching bands, big balloons, dancers, musicians and horses. Santa Claus will make a special appearance at the event.
Caleb Johnson
American Idol winner Caleb Johnson will act as Grand Marshal of the Gatlinburg parade. Caleb Johnson fans can also meet the singer at an autograph session Saturday, Dec. 6 between 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. at Ripley’s Aquarium of the Smokies.
Santa Claus will be very busy this weekend. After appearing in Gatlinburg’s Christmas Parade on Friday, he will take part in the 52nd Annual Sevierville Christmas Parade on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014.
The parade will start at 11:00 a.m. and travel on Court Ave. through downtown Sevierville. It will feature local attractions, dance teams and pageant winners. Johnnie Faye McClure, Sevierville’s Citizen of the Year, will act as Grand Marshal of the Parade. Photos with Santa begin at noon at the Bruce Street Gazebo.
