The James River High School Marching Band took top honors in the Non-Religious Division and the Virginia Presbyterian Church float took top honors in the Religious Division of Saturday’s annual Buchanan Christmas Parade.
Hundreds of folks lined the parade route down Main Street as dozens of entries filed past on what was a typical December afternoon.
The other entries that placed in the Religious Division were second place, New Beginnings Assembly of God, and third place, Faith Community Church. Barn Bums 4-H Club was second in the Non-Religious Division and Shoney’s was third.
The parade is just one of a number of holiday events Buchanan is holding.
Activities continue Friday night when James River High School Chorus sings carols at the Town Christmas Tree at 7 p.m.
That’s part of the Late Nigh Fridays downtown merchants have when they offer extended shopping hours until 9 p.m.
The Friday also is the last Buchanan Christmas Scavenger Hunt on Late Night Friday before Christmas. Scavenger Hunt lists are available at participating downtown businesses and feature 12 clues.
Clues may pertain to Buchanan Town History, may be information located in participating businesses along Main Street or may be specially hidden items. Each Late Night Friday will feature a new list with new opportunities to win prizes. When you finish your hunt, turn in forms to the Buchanan Theatre.
The first person to complete the list or with the highest score should no one complete the list, will win a pair of Buchanan Theatre passes. All entries will be entered in a Grand Prize Scavenger Hunt Drawing to be awarded on this Friday. The cumulative score of all Late Night Fridays will be added up and the individual with the highest score will win a Buchanan Prize package valued over $200.
Folks also are invited to vote for their favorite Christmas tree at the Festival of Trees on display throughout the Buchanan Library. Voting continues through January 1.
The trees were decorated by students at Buchanan Elementary School.
You can cast your vote using pennies for your favorite tree.
Each penny donated counts as one vote, $1 is equivalent to 100 votes. The tree that collects the most votes will earn the class $100 donated by the Buchanan Special Events Committee. All of the money collected through voting will be donated to the Buchanan Library to purchase Accelerated Reading Program Books for the Buchanan Library.
The celebration continues on December 24 when volunteers are invited to meet at the Town Hall at 3 p.m. to start setting out the annual Christmas Luminaries that will line Main Street; and to help light them at 6 p.m. Folks are also invited to tour Main Street on Christmas Eve to see this wonderful display.
For more information about activities in Buchanan, call the Buchanan Downtown Revitalization Program at 254-1212.