Parade to kick off Christmas in Charleston

By: Gretchen Ternes/ Staff Reporter

Posted: 12/2/05

Santa will be coming to town with a reindeer to help start the Christmas in the Heart of Charleston Festival.

He will be introduced in the parade at 6 p.m. on Saturday in the square. The parade will kick off the Heart of Charleston Festival, said Jim Davis, a member of the parade committee for the past three years.

It has become a tradition for the past 10 years.

Lasting about 10 minutes, the parade will also include the Charleston High School band, Charleston Middle School cheerleaders and costumed characters. Grand Marshall Mayor John Inyart will be riding with his grandsons and Miss Coles County Katie Rufener.

"I will be riding in a carriage and afterwards taking pictures," Rufener said. "It should be a lot of fun,"

Jackson Avenue Coffee will host the band Motherlode, who will sing Christmas songs at 8 p.m. Free carriage rides will be available, and visitors can buy Christmas trees and roasted chestnuts. Christmas scenes can be seen throughout the square.

"The square looks like a scene form a Norman Rockwell painting. It is the way Charleston should look all year," said Evan Kubisek, manager of Jackson Avenue Coffee.