Union County kicked off the holiday season Dec. 6 with the annual tree lighting and Christmas Parade in Downtown Blairsville. With events going on around town all day, several families put a bow on their outings by heading to the square Saturday afternoon and evening.
The Union County Historical Society hosted pictures with Santa in the upstairs courtroom that was decorated with cozy Christmas lights and trees galore. Rumor has it that Saint Nick participated in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade before making his way down South.
Continue reading with a subscription.
North Georgia News — serving Union County since 1909.
Cancel anytime.
“It’s amazing how many people up here in the mountains – all the kids, I mean every single one of them – are on the good list,” said Claus between the last few visitors, revealing that preparations are underway at the North Pole by way of warming up the reindeer for test flights.
Nicole Schuknecht brought her family to see Santa – a tradition she’s been observing now for 15 years, since the birth of her eldest daughter. They enjoy touring the Historic Courthouse’s museum while waiting for the parade to begin.
“Every year, this is the photo we use that we put around, our picture with Santa at the courthouse. It’s very special,” Schuknecht said, adding, “I like seeing all the community support.” For his part, her son Gordon looked most forward to the parade candy.
Downstairs, both children and adults sat to get their faces painted with ornaments, Christmas lights, snowflakes and other symbols of holiday cheer. Such was the case with little Leila Savoie, who got her face painted with her mother as her grandmother Irene Rowland watched with a smile.
“I only want three things (for Christmas),” 7-year-old Savoie admitted, though she insisted her favorite part of Christmas is “spreading the joy” by giving gifts to others.
“Oh, I definitely feel (the Christmas spirit) alive and well today,” Rowland noted. For four years now, she’s been bringing the entire family to the square. “We love the small-town feel and there’s so much to do … It’s just the perfect place to be.”
Over at the Seasons Inn, with Miller the dog overlooking the gathering from his window, Colleen Urbaniuk helped hand out oatmeal cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate and reindeer food mixes. For the kiddos who passed through, there were free stuffed animals to choose from as early Christmas gifts.
“We’ve done it for about five years. We’ve done cocoa and cookies for longer than five years; we started the free stuffed animals about four years ago,” explained Urbaniuk. “We collect them throughout the year. The kids, they love getting a free stuffed animal.”
The Woody Gap Band of Steel returned to entertain the masses before the parade, playing a blend of classic rock and beloved Christmas melodies. As more folks took their places in anticipation of the night’s big event, the Grinch was spotted prancing around the streets and posing for pictures with fans.
The Owens family were adorned in matching Grinch hats. As Emma Owens enjoyed the steel pans and danced with her plush frog, her mother Jessica looked forward to the parade as a “great community event.”
And great it truly was, with longtime announcer Libby Stevens taking a look out at all the revelers and remarking that this was one of the biggest crowds she had seen for the Christmas Parade.
After the sun set, Stevens encouraged everyone to count down with her before the massive, custom-built Christmas tree in front of the Old Courthouse lit up in a brilliant multicolored display.
Lasting about an hour, the Christmas Parade’s vehicles and floats were all decorated in a dazzling show of lights, sometimes accompanied by bubbles blown by snow machines. Familiar faces like Rudolph and Frosty the Snowman were spotted riding on floats.
Organizations like the Blairsville Cruisers and Blairsville Dance Project featured alongside businesses such as United Community Bank and Tanner’s Towing, and even communities outside of Blairsville got involved. Blue Ridge and Suches participants were thanked by Stevens for coming out, and several of them went all-out on their floats or car décor.
A boat behaved much like a float with its dancing yeti on top, and a giant green bulldozer strung up in Christmas lights was a fitting ride for the Grinch. Remembering the reason for the season, one church made a moving display by constructing a float depicting an infant Christ’s manger in a box complete with wrapping paper, declaring Him the greatest gift of all.
Four-legged friends joined in the fun this year, too, with several dogs walking beside or riding in floats or vehicles. Intriguingly, there was even a particularly well-behaved dwarf goat hitching a ride on someone’s lap.
Of course, candy was the main gift given out that night, but candy canes were another popular choice. Uniquely but fittingly, an orthodontist office gave the gift of bright smiles when the dancing gingerbread man atop their float flung out bags filled with dental hygiene products.
Close to the end of the parade, Santa made one last appearance riding atop his sleigh, waving to cheering kids who had sat on his lap just hours before. With that, Blairsville’s Christmas Parade 2025 was in the books, and the countdown to Dec. 25 begins.
