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There will be nearly 100 groups involved in this year’s Farmville Jaycees Christmas parade, featuring everyone from Longwood University Athletics to multiple fire departments. And of course, there will be a jolly old man in a red suit arriving at the end. 

This year’s parade, with the theme of “A Country Christmas”, takes to the streets at 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 1, in Downtown Farmville. It marks the second straight year, after decades in the daytime, of running a nighttime parade. 

Now the Farmville Christmas parade itself isn’t new. In fact, you could argue it’s part of the official beginning of the Christmas season here in town. For more than 70 years, the Farmville Jaycees have sponsored the tradition. Last year, as we mentioned, the Jaycees decided to do things a bit different. Instead of early in the afternoon, they held it much later in the day, so several of the groups could decorate their floats, tractors, trucks and cars with Christmas lights. And it didn’t stop with the vehicles. Frosty the Snowman was covered in lights last year, as he ran up to kids all along the sidewalks. Even some of the folks walking alongside the floats had lights wrapped from head to toe. 

Suggestions for the Farmville Christmas Parade

Visitors and residents alike should bring a chair and be prepared to come early to get a good spot. Town officials suggest setting up by 4:45 or 5 p.m. at the latest to make sure to get a good spot. Some churches will be serving hot cocoa while attendees wait for the parade.  

The parade will start near the Department of Motor Vehicles on North Virginia Street and 2nd Street and make its way west on 2nd Street to the North Main Street intersection and turn left onto South Main Street before ending near the McDonalds on Putney Street. 

Parking will be available in the municipal lots throughout town at East 2nd Street and South Street beside The Outer You, West 2nd Street and North Street across from the Farmville Community Marketplace and South Street behind the courthouse. There will also be public restrooms at the High Bridge Plaza on Main Street across from Depo Street. 

A look at the lineup

The Parade line up as it stands at press time is as follows: 

1) Farmville Police Department

2) Bland Reid Funeral Home

3) Prince Edward Sheriff: L. A. “Tony” Epps

4) Grand Marshals: The Lady of Rage

5) Christmas Mother Torrie Patterson

6) Prince Edward V/JV Cheer

7) Benchmark Community Bank

8) J.R. Tharpe Trucking Co.

9) Centra PACE

10) Zachary McKinney Technology

11) Diverse Styles

12) Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Kappa Rho Omega Chapter

13) Southside Shriners

14) Sanchez Perkins

15) Five County Fair Court 

16) Miss American Star Achievement

17) Farmville Volunteer Fire Department

18) Mary E. Branch Heritage Center

19) Centra Southside Community Hospital

20) Fuqua Homecoming Court

21) PEFYA DEBS Virginia State Champions and PEFYA Angels District Champions

22) Longwood Center for Community Music

23) Prince Edward County Public Schools – The Reading Eagle Literacy Bus

24) Fresh Girlz Club

25) Johnson County Animated Animals

26) New Flame COGIC

27) Prince Edward Volunteer Rescue Squad

28) Old Dominion Historical Fire Society

29) Delta Response Team

30) Farmville Lions Club

31) Social Butterflies

32) Tiny Miss Roanoke

33) 1979 Silverado – Brian Lokker

34) VA Smoove Rydaz & Friends

35) Motion Gymnastics and Tumbling Center

36) Cub Scout Pack 6296

37) Prince Edward Elks/Manhattan Temple

38) Darian Lipscomb

39) Oakwood Homes

40) First Baptist Church 

41) Southside Electric Cooperative

42) The Fishin’ Pig

43) Creative Electrical Contractors

44) Bethpeor Baptist Church 

45) VFW Post 7059

46) American Legion & American Legion

Auxiliary

47) Darlington Heights Vol Fire Dept

48) Hampden-Sydney Vol Fire Dept

49) Prospect Volunteer Fire Department

50) Rice Volunteer Fire Department

51) AAP Construction

52) Pinos Farmville

53) Friends of Twin Lakes

54) Appomattox River Company

55) Alliance Fitness

56)Longwood University Athletics

57) Prince Edward Marching Band

58) Virginia Center for Behavioral

Rehabilitation

59) Farmville Pride

60) Dynamic Divas

61) Royal Jewelz

62) Pippys Dog House

63) REMAX

64) Randolph District Fire

65) Toby Layne Racing

 

66) Sharon Baptist Church

67) Top Tier Beauty and Barber Lounge

68) Zeta Phi Beta

69) Passion Community Church – Farmville

70) Goochland Fire

71) Trinity Church

72) Gee Law Firm

73) Tysons Contracting

74) C. F. Marion Trucking Inc.

75) Crewe Tractor

76) American Soldier Lawncare

77) North Street Press Club

78) A Great Escape Spalon

79) Farmville Walmart

80) Wells roofing

81) Pagans of Farmville

82) Commonwealth Pediatric Dentistry

83) Keysville Fire

84) Wood Property Service LLC.

85) Meherrin Volunteer Fire & Rescue

86) Pamplin Volunteer Fire Department

87) Blue Willow Farm

88) Michael’s power sports racing team

89) The Tipsy Carriage

90) Virginia Department of forestry

91) Boyer Farm and Trucking LLC

92) Douglas Hall

93) VIRGINIA Take A Walk With Us

94) Farmville Health and Rehab Center

95) BETTER DAYS FARMVILLE

96)Mr. and Mrs. Claus