Despite the bitter cold temperatures, the spirit of the holiday season remained strong in downtown Athens Thursday, Dec. 6, as hundreds of residents withstood the freezing wind chill to witness the annual Athens-Limestone Christmas Parade.

“This is truly one of our favorite events each year,” Athens Mayor Ronnie Marks told The News Courier. “We knew it was going to be cold, but that did not stop people from getting here early to save their parking spots. Overall, it’s a beautiful, fun night to call Athens home.”

Before the parade, aptly themed the “Christmas Carnival of Lights,” commenced — Marks joined all five members of the Limestone County Commission to celebrate their yearly Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony at the Limestone County Courthouse.

The time-honored tradition kicked off the magical showcase of bright lights around the Square. The sweet aroma of hot chocolate — provided by the Limestone County Council on Aging — and joyous sounds of laughter as District 1 Commissioner Daryl Sammet gave his best holiday karaoke filled the brisk air.

“We got Santa Claus to come out and visit with the little kids, and that makes standing out in the cold so worthwhile,” Limestone County Commission Chairman Collin Daly said after passing out gloves to residents around the courthouse. “This event is not about us, it’s about the community and the kids, and I think they had a good time. I still have memories of me bundled up for the Christmas parade every year when I was their age, so it’s a great time to see everyone come together and put their differences aside.”

Daly referenced the sights and sounds from Thursday as similar to that of a Hallmark movie, as more than 160 parade entries, from marching bands to tow trucks, made their way through the Historic Downtown District in the city of Athens.

“We had so many people lined up on the sidewalks, it was really incredible to see our community come together for such a joyful and festive celebration,” President and CEO of the Athens-Limestone Chamber of Commerce Pammie Jimmar said. “None of it would have been possible without all of our partners from around the city and county. A huge shout out to the Athens Police Department and Limestone County Sheriffs for keeping everyone safe during the parade.”

Jimmar highlighted the work from several local departments and organizations such as Athens Main Street and Athens Rotary Club, for contributing to the “seamless” parade design. All of the floats and cars on display during the parade were decked out in numerous Christmas lights.

“The community really took the theme and ran with it this year,” Jimmar added. “There were so many beautiful floats in the parade this year. It really emphasized the joy of Christmas, seeing everyone come together to be with each other. I always say that the dedication of teamwork in our community really brings events like this to life, it reflects the heart of our community. We are so happy to see Athens and Limestone County shine bright during this time of the year.”