The annual Christmas parade in Gray is just around the corner, and this year’s holiday event is more special than usual: It marks the 25th time local residents have enjoyed the procession down one of the busiest small-town streets in Middle Georgia.
The parade is scheduled for Dec. 9, with a make-up date of Dec. 11 should there be a rainout.
“It’s always the second Tuesday in December, and the rain delay is always on that Thursday,” commented one of the parade volunteers, Danielle Fields. “We’ve only had to do that once in the last few years.”
The Jones County Jaycees helped start the tradition in 2001 and were in charge of all details until three years ago. The now defunct chapter turned it over to the local Masonic organization in 2022. Britt Martin of Masonic Lodge #430 recently shared the details of getting the parade ready to go. Fields, a former member of the Jaycees who has ‘aged out’ of the organization, helps locally and was on hand to offer her insight as well.
Martin said he and fellow Mason Roger Hawke are responsible for putting the event together annually, and Fields is the onsite person in charge the night of the parade.
“We take all the applications in, organize everything, the groups. Who’s got a vehicle, who’s got a trailer, who’s walking, horses; we just divide it all up into different groups and then let her know what’s going on.”
The Lodge also is in charge of judging entries for various awards prior to the start of the parade. Fields, who was actually with the Milledgeville Jaycees and rose to be state Jaycees president and national vice president, described parade night as a team effort.
“They do the back end now, and then the night of, we all kind of work together,” Fields pointed out. “So, they take care of the judging and getting those awards out, and then I just direct traffic. My job is very limited right now.”
While she might say her task that night is ‘limited,’ Fields and Martin agree the parade is a big deal and has grown over the years.
“I think the last year that the Gray Jaycees did it, we had 80 or 85 floats,” Fields estimated. “In the last couple of years, we’ve had closer to 100-plus. So it has grown, certainly over the past 25 years; but in the last couple of years, it has grown again with the help of the Lodge.”
Martin, a Lodge member since 2013 and former Worshipful Master, reported last week that entry applications have been coming in slower than usual, but he anticipates they will continue.
“We put a deadline for registration forms, but we will take them up until the day of the parade.”
The procession always starts in the Ingles parking lot.
“We just want to shine a really big spotlight on how grateful we are for Ingles,” Fields said. “We’re very grateful for that partnership.”
Martin echoed her sentiments.
“Yes, because if they didn’t let us do it, we wouldn’t have it. Where would you start? I mean, it does hurt their business at night. We take over most of the parking lot. But,” he added, “they’re still willing to do it.”
Getting the site and entries ready is not a quick task by any means.
“We start setting up at noon,” Fields said, “and we’ll be there clearing the parking lot for about three and a half hours. Judging starts at 5:30 for anybody who wants to be judged,” she explained. “And it goes until the parade starts. It takes a while.”
There is a method to the madness, it appears, but, behind the entries at the beginning of the parade, the order is determined by time of arrival.
“Everybody that’s getting judged, we try to have them all together, though it doesn’t always work like that,” Martin said. “But, it’s pretty much first come, first served. If you get there late, you’re just going to be at the end. And,” he added, “the first cars will be back before the end even goes out. We start at 7, and last year the last one went out at 8:30. It’s a long parade.”
Fields said the Jones County High ROTC leads the parade out.
“And they’re followed by Little Red, which is the fire truck that’s stored in Main Street right here on the corner. Grand Marshal’s after Little Red, and then the county commissioners go. That’s kind of the front end of the parade. Everything else is whoever gets in line after that.”
Martin noted there are usually several tow trucks and horses participating, with various companies represented.
“Georgia Power’s getting more in it this year,” he reported. “They had a truck in it last year, but they have four or five vehicles in it this year. Central Georgia Tech is gonna have a big truck in it. Coca-Cola is coming back. They have to schedule their truck, so they called early and got it scheduled.
“Then, obviously, Santa Claus ends the parade.”
Martin indicated last week that retired school teacher Debbie Howe will be the Grand Marshal this year, and she has had some prior experience with parades.
“I was a majorette in high school, so I loved marching in different parades,” Howe shared. “I was in the Jones County parade several years ago on the Mattie Wells float. It was so cold that night that it was hard to wave and smile.
“I admit I was very excited when I was asked to be the Grand Marshal,” Howe acknowledged, “but why me? I was only a third grade teacher in Jones County for 36 wonderful years.”
Martin and Fields, meanwhile, agreed that the vast majority of the work is done before the procession leaves the Ingles lot.
“Once it gets moving, there’s nothing you can do,” Martin declared. ”You just kind of herd it, you keep it out of the ditch and just let it go. There’s nothing you can do to stop it, and it goes pretty smoothly.”
Fields noted one issue that concerns her.
“I wish parents would do a better job of keeping their children out of the road,” she lamented. “It terrifies me how many kids get really close to the floats in the street.”
Candy is another concern, since so many participants on the floats want to distribute it, and many floats are trailers pulled by bigger trucks.
“If you have a trailer, you can’t stop as fast,” Martin affirmed, “so that’s the only thing I wish the community would be more aware of, kids running out chasing candy, and you can’t see them. I mean, it’s just dangerous.”
The two praised Gray Police Chief Adam Lowe and his department for their work that night.
“The police, most of the day they’re setting up and preparing. They have a full crew that night ready to assist,” Fields stated. “The sheriff’s department is more present that evening. So everybody comes together.”
Martin agreed. “They help keep everything organized the whole way,” he noted. “The officers blocking off all the roads and barricades just keep everything moving.”
Once the parade participants leave Ingles, they proceed down West Clinton Street and turn onto Railroad Street just before the tracks, and most of the spectators enjoy their views before the procession leaves the main street. Many of the vehicles and floats make the journey all the way to the starting point at Ingles.
Martin said the event brings in a bit of money to be divided between city and county fire, rescue, and law enforcement projects. However, Fields noted, those proceeds are not the primary reason for the annual effort.
“I think the main reason for having the parade is to just bring a sense of community and togetherness. It’s really great to have events that bring everybody together in such a divisive world. And,” she added, “this is one of the events that everybody is happy, everybody’s glad to be there; there’s not any griping. It’s just pure joy. It doesn’t cost you anything; it’s just show up and just enjoy it. There’s a lot of people, and people come from everywhere.”
Howe agreed. “Parades are a great way to bring a community together to celebrate a very special holiday or event. You can look into the eyes of a child and see joy when Santa comes by waving and saying ‘Ho Ho Ho!’ A parade brings back childhood memories for moms and dads while watching the magic of the Christmas go by.”
For more information on the parade, visit facebook.com/ graychristmasparade.
