Guess, who's coming to town ... in a Thunderbird?

Once again, the votes have been cast, and Santa Claus has been named the grand marshal for the annual Ironton Christmas Parade that is set to roll at 6 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30, in downtown Ironton.

Sponsored by the Ironton Lions Club, the five-division parade, which will last about an hour, will lineup at 5 p.m. at 2nd and Railroad streets in Ironton and then will wind its way through downtown, over to Washington and then down 3rd Street to Center Street.

Lou Pyles, club president of the Lions and veteran parade organizer, said they've been starting the parade earlier and keeping it shorter since the parade focus is area children.

"It's not as long as the Memorial Day parade," Pyles said with a laugh about Ironton's famous, and famously long, Memorial Day parade. "We kind of downsize it for the kids. We get everybody in, but it's not that long so they don't get too cold."

Pyles said unless there's a big snow on, it appears Santa will once again arrive in a Ford Thunderbird.

"When it's not snowing, he can't bring a sleigh into Ironton."

For more info about the parade, call Pyles at 740-533-2977.

2009 Huntington Christmas Parade

The Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce and its Downtown Live Committee have been working on building up the 2009 Christmas Parade for much of the year, and now it's time to celebrate.

The parade begins 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 1. Parade festivities will start about 6 p.m. with music provided by the ThunderTones Barbershop Chorus in front of the Elks Lodge and along 4th Avenue.

Line-up will start at 6 p.m. The parade route is 13th Street to 8th Street on 4th Avenue. Then the participants will march down 8th Street to 3rd Avenue. From there, the parade will continue down 3rd Avenue to Pullman Square and disperse at 10th Street.

Judy Eaton from WTCR Radio and Clear Channel Communications will emcee the ceremony following the parade when the new Huntington Christmas Tree will be lit in Pullman Square. The Huntington-Ironton Empowerment Zone, City of Huntington, TTA and Downtown Live have made the new tree possible for the 2009 Christmas season.

The tree lighting ceremony also will be highlighted by performances from Jeslyn Performing Arts Center, Nancy's School of Dance and the Saints Alive Chorus. Starbucks will provide free coffee, and Latta's Toy Station and MUG and PIA will provide free hot chocolate. The Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitor's Bureau will provide free cookies to parade-goers as well.

The Downtown Live Committee's purpose is to plan and execute events downtown that will create retail and restaurant traffic for area businesses. If you have any questions or would like to register your group for the parade, contact Holly Rice at the Huntington Regional Chamber of Commerce at 304-525-5131 or holly@huntingtonchamber.org.

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