DOBSON — Holiday festivities are set in Dobson. The town will host a tree-lighting ceremony Monday evening and a parade on Dec. 5.
Misty Marion, the town’s municipal services manager and clerk, said Monday’s tree lighting will be the fourth year for the ceremony. However, it will be the first year the town’s new park will play host to the event.
In years past, Marion said, a cut tree was lit at Town Hall. Now a tree already planted at Dobson Square Park will be decorated. Marion said the tree is close to 17 feet tall and is expected to grow about one foot every year.
According to Marion, the tree lighting will be at 6:30 p.m., but the festivities begin at 6 p.m. Marion said the Surry Central High School chorus will provide music. Additionally, the Dobson Community Library will be at the event serving hot chocolate.
A fat, jolly man in a red suit will also attend, making his list and checking it twice. Marion said it’s the first year Santa Claus has made the journey from the North Pole to be a part of the tree lighting.
Marion said in past years the event has drawn a crowd of about 200. With the town offering free Christmas gifts to the first 100 visitors, Marion expects attendance to be similar or even better this year.
Parade
On Dec. 5 the town will host a Christmas parade, which is a tradition that Marion said started many years ago. She said the event has been well attended in the past and — with plentiful amounts of candy to be thrown — this year should be no different.
Marion said the parade, which is sponsored and organized by the Dobson Lions Club, is set for 2 p.m. The parade route will take participants along Main Street from Surry Community College past Town Hall.
The parade usually features many local fire departments, the Dobson Police Department and the Dobson Rescue Squad. She said the parade lineup also includes classic cars, tractors and horses.
Santa will once again make the trip south to Dobson in order to ride in the parade, and there will be a celebrity grand marshal for the parade.
Marion said there is no fee or registration required to be a part of the parade. She said those looking to participate need only be at the college at 1 p.m. The only prohibited vehicles are four-wheelers or other all-terrain vehicles, according to Marion.
