Events schedule
- “The Polar Express” movie showing,
Friday, Nov. 30, 6:30 p.m. at Coach T.B. Thomas Sports Center
- Hartsville Christmas Parade: Miracle
on Carolina Avenue, Saturday, Dec. 1, 10:30 a.m.
- Free wagon rides,
Saturday, Dec. 1, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., Centennial Park
- Annual Mayor’s Tree Lighting, Sunday, Dec. 2, 6:30 p.m. at Burry Park
The City of
Hartsville will begin the Christmas season with a flurry of holiday events this
weekend, including the Hartsville Christmas Parade, a showing of the movie “The
Polar Express” at Byerly Park and the lighting of the city Christmas tree.
Festivities begin this
Friday, Nov. 30 at 6:30 p.m. at Byerly Park’s Coach T.B. Thomas Sports Center,
with “The Polar Express” shown on a 14-foot screen. The free event includes a
hot dog supper and hot chocolate, and children are encouraged to wear their
pajamas and bring a blanket for an evening of fun and excitement aboard the
Polar Express.
A longstanding Hartsville
tradition will then return for the 54th year on Saturday, Dec. 1 at
10:30 a.m., as floats, specialty vehicles, bands and more travel through
downtown for the Hartsville Christmas Parade. Led by a color guard of Marines from
Marine Aircraft Group 26 of Jacksonville, N.C., the parade will feature various
Shriner parade units, fire departments from around the Pee Dee, including a
1956 fire engine from the Hartsville Fire Department, and an appearance from
Santa. Celebrity commentators Rusty Ray and Erika Hayes of WBTW News will be
stationed at the intersection of Carolina Avenue and 5th Street.
“We have some new entrants
this year,” said Adam Mathews, City of Hartsville Special Projects Director.
“We hope to see everyone out for the parade, because this will certainly be the
best one yet.”
The parade travels north on
South Fifth Street from its beginning at the Newsome Warehouse, 1111 S. Fifth
St., before turning right on Laurens Avenue, left on South Fourth Street and
left again on Carolina Avenue, ending at the Thornwell School for the Arts, 437
W. Carolina Ave.
After the parade, free
wagon rides will depart from Centennial Park from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The series of events will
conclude with the annual ceremony lighting the City of Hartsville’s Christmas
tree in Burry Park, which has moved to Sunday at 6:30 p.m., after being
scheduled for Saturday originally. Hartsville resident Grady Sullivan donated
the city’s Christmas tree, an Eastern Red Cedar which stands about 35 feet tall
in the park.
Mayor Mel Pennington will
join other dignitaries and Hartsville Presbyterian Church Pastor David McIntosh
in delivering remarks during the ceremony, and Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Andrews
will throw the switch lighting the tree. The city will also unveil the mailbox
through which children may write letters to Santa during the Christmas season
and receive responses. Vocal performances during the ceremony will include the
Hartsville Presbyterian Church choir and Hartsville’s own ‘After dark.’ As with
the parade, Santa will greet the crowd.
