By Matt de Simone
The Town of Buchanan continued the Christmas festivities last Saturday afternoon presenting its annual Christmas Parade along Main Street to the delight of a large crowd of parade-goers.
A colorful array of festive floats and decorated participants greeted the crowd with candy and holiday wishes. Smiles were seen all around as the chilly afternoon was met with cheerfulness and the Christmas spirit.
This year’s participants in the Buchanan Christmas Parade included Grand Marshals Liz and Charlie Provost, Botetourt 4-H, American Legion Post 93, American Legion Post 93 Legion Riders, Botetourt 4-H Livestock, Bank of Botetourt, James River High School Marching Band, VDOT, Farmview B&B, C&S Disposal, Steve Flint, Cora Moorman, Bobcat Chorus, A Few Old Goats, Christ Deisher, Lord Botetourt Marching Band, Community Church, Stylin’ Shed, Central Academy Middle School FFA, Mary Mundy, Jerry’s Funny Farm, Bank of the James, Rory Benson, Fincastle Baptist Church, Buchanan Lions Club, Michael Carter, Night Crawlers Jeeps, Sink Septic, Shean Bowers, James River High School FFA. Steve Thomas Loggin, and T-Mobile.
The event saw a large number of jeeps and motorcycles that totally approximately 80 vehicles and walkers. Judges announced the annual winners of the Buchanan Christmas Parade float contest.
1st Place: Night Crawlers (Jeep Group)
2nd Place: Lord Botetourt Marching Band
3rd Place: Titus Machine Repair
Honorable mentions: Fincastle Baptist Church and James River FFA
Additionally, the town’s Festival of Lights located at Buchanan Town Park is a volunteer effort by members of the Buchanan community. The volunteer committee consisting of Pat Brooks, Debbie Conner, Sissy Austin, and Missy Dudley worked together for the last two years presenting a joyous drive-thru experience that people can enjoy from now through January 6, 2025.
Planning for the lights begins in the late spring/early summer. This year, the committee started getting the lights ready for 2024’s Christmas season this past August and September. Following a windy October that caused a bit of trouble for the ladies leading the way, work continued. They claimed victory over the elements at a recent Buchanan Town Council meeting despite their struggles with the winds of fall. A total of 23 volunteers took time out of their schedules to assist in this year’s Festival of Lights.
Recently, members of the volunteer committee shared their thoughts about this year’s Festival of Lights. For Pat Brooks, one of the main reasons she volunteers is due to the memories made each year.
“It’s all about the memories,” Brooks said during a recent interview. “The first Saturday that we were open, the (horse and) buggy rounds went through a course, and we all made a point of being down there. As people rode through, the volunteers thanked them for coming. There was this couple there with a grandson and a man looked at me and said, ‘What are you charging to go through here?’
“I said, ‘Nothing, sir, but if you want to make a donation, feel free, but just enjoy.’ A little while later, the same man came back and he stopped and said, ‘How many times can we drive through here?’ I said, “Sir, this is going to be open to the sixth of January. You go as many times as you want as many days as you want and make memories.’ He looked at me with tears in his eyes and said his grandson wanted to do it again. He then thanked us again – this is the joy we get back.
“We see young families that we know are struggling financially and they can go down there with their children and make these wonderful memories. And it’s something they can do that costs them nothing but the little gas to go down there. And you hear the kids. They roll the windows down and you hear these kids laughing and the parents laughing and it that is one of the reasons we are trying to give back a gift to people to let them know the true meaning of Christmas, but also (making) memories.”
Committee member and newly elected Town Council member Sissy Austin shared, “A lot of people commented on how well they look, how pretty they are, and they really enjoy driving through or walking through, looking at the lights.”
The volunteer committee members have sifted through their share of Christmas lights over the last year. While planning for the event begins in the summer, volunteers went through “loads of lights,” according to Brooks.
“Last January, after we (volunteered presenting the Festival of Lights for the first time), we found a lot of the metal deer that just needed to be refurbishing and a lot of other things that were not in good shape. Debbie, Sissy, and myself spent hours under the town office down there running lights on them and repairing a lot of things.”
The town provided the committee with a budget and volunteers also provided donations towards this year’s event.
“It’s like taking on another job,” Brooks said. “Our youngest volunteer was the second grader. The oldest volunteers are like 73 or 74. Seven were men, everybody else was women.”
One of the most important notes of this year’s Festival of Lights is a tribute to local veterans. Local nonprofit organizations Sirens and Salutes and New Freedom Farm donated to this year’s project in good faith the veterans would be honored, Brooks added.
“Most of us have had veterans and there families. We take very big pride in our country and we wanted veterans to know when they go through there how proud we are (of them).
“We’ve gotten very good at it. I did not realize it. I was going to end up with a doctorate in fix and snowman, but I do. You know, uh but we just, you know, and sharing, well, when I share with my customers or friends and at my church (Cedar Bluff Baptist), my minister asked me last week, he said, ‘Pat, would you like me to put a camper down there for you that you can just stay down there?’ I said, ‘I feel like that’s what I need’ because we put a lot of hours in… Every time I drive through them, I get a thrill.”
Austin added, “We’ve all worked (well) together and we’ve had a really good time doing it this year. Last year and this year, we’ve had a good time doing it. It’s just fun doing it and we do it to keep it going and so everybody can enjoy it. To watch the kids come through their faces – it makes you feel good to see their faces light up and enjoy it.”
Enjoy Buchanan’s Festival of Lights open from 6 p.m. until 11 p.m. now through January 6 at Buchanan Town Park.
