HUNTINGTON — The 2009 Huntington Christmas parade next week will features a bigger cast, longer route and post-parade activities at Pullman Square.

The parade begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. The parade route is from 13th Street to 8th Street on 4th Avenue. Then participants will march down 8th Street to 3rd Avenue and continue down 3rd Avenue to Pullman Square.

One of this year’s biggest highlights is the new 30-foot Huntington Christmas tree that will be lighted in the center of Pullman Square following the parade.  The parade will be led by 2009 Grand Marshal Kayla Williams, the Huntington High School student recently won the gold medal on vault in the 2009 World Gymnastic Championships in London.

Here are the organizations participating in the 2009 Huntington Christmas parade at 7 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1:

Anne See for House; Autism Society of America — West Virginia State Chapter; Ava-Marie Jolie, Baby Miss Wayne County and Baby Miss West Virginia Pumpkin Festival; Barboursville Girl Scout Troops 2068 and 3292; Best Buy of Barboursville; Black Diamond Girl Scouts Daisy Troop 2467; Cabell County Relay for Life; Cabell Midland High School Band;

Ceredo Elementary After-School Program; Chesapeake High School Cheerleaders; Chesapeake Middle School Cheerleaders; Commissioner Scott Bias; Community of Grace United Methodist Church; Cub Scout Troop 350; D.A.R.T (Dads Are Reliable Too); Dan Goheen for Magistrate; Dress for Success River Cities; Fifth Avenue Freewill Baptist Church; Girl Scout Troop 2509; Girl Scouts from St. Paul ; Glorious Church —Youth 4 Christ;

Grand Marshal Kayla Williams; Guyandotte Elementary School Cheerleaders; Huntington High School Band; Hurricane High School Band; Ironton High School Band; Jeff Smith State Farm Insurance; Jeslyn Performing Arts Center; John Marshall Emerging Leaders Institute ; Katie Wright Miss Teen West Virginia International 2009; Kellogg Holiness Church of God; Lee Bias for Congress; Mainstream Services; Marsha Slater State Farm Insurance; Marshall Campus Recreation; Marty Gearhart for Congress; Mayor Kim Wolfe; Miracles in Motion Dance Academy;

Miranda Rosiek Miss Marshall; MTS Ambulance; New Remnant Church; Pump Up the Fun; Salt Rock Girl Scout Troops 2523 and 2825; Santa Claus and Keecee’s Carriage. ; Southwestern Community Action Council; Speaker Rick Thompson; Spring Valley High School Band; Tri-State’s CW; TTA; WAMX Radio; Wayne High School JROTC; Wayne High School Raze; WCHS/WVAH TV; WOW-Worship on Wednesdays from Bethel United Methodist Church; WSAZ-TV; WTCR Radio; WV Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.

If you’re interested in participating in the 2009 Huntington Christmas Parade, contact Holly Rice at the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce at 304-525-5131 or holly@huntingtonchamber.org. 

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