It's Thursday March 28, 2024
December 12, 2017
Rainy, windy weather altered schedules for the Spirit of Christmas this year. The streets were not as packed and in at least one case, Santa had to move inside. Despite the uncooperative weather, residents and visitors held fast.The Provision Company placard tells it like it is.The parade went on. As did the lighting of the star and the kayak flotilla. Visitors still came to town and sales of rain gear may have been higher than usual. This year’s theme made things festive: A Christmas Buffett – Jimmy Style.
Parrotheads in the street.A child on a golf cart, the preferred mode of travel, watches the parade.Town dogs made a strong showing, promoting businesses or waiting to be adopted.
Joule, so named for her high energy, visits the Brewery with PAWS, waiting to be adopted.Tradition demanded caroling choirs. Oriental First Baptist provided. The United Methodist Church hosted a live Nativity produced by The Children’s Theater Workshop.
The choir sings traditional carols.Angels wait for their cue.Local businesses put out their best refreshments and food. The mood was bright and festive against a dreary backdrop. Spirited, you might say.
The Brewery served up over 200 lbs of barbecue.Santa and Mayor Belangia light the star at the town dock.Parade Winner Results
- Da Mayor – Best music
- Provision Co. – Best use of pastel colored hula skirts
- Offshore Rafting – Most extravagant production and best hula hoopist
- Nautical Wheelers – Best coordinated outerwear
- Lilly – Best antlers on a small horse
- Roe family – Best Margaritas
- Jones/Lee tractors – Best use of agricultural machinery in a holiday parade
- Oriental Vet Hospital – Best holiday decorations on a canine
- Oriental Rotary – Best cuisine
- Dixon family – Best Christmas elf in distress
- Boy Scouts and Cubs – Best pirate flag
- Oriental FWB – Best traditional theme
- New Dragon – Most energetic and colorful
- Brantley’s – Best fed Grinch/pointiest hair
- New Bern YC – Best Macy’s Day parade entry
(coming from far, far away they managed to get 20 people together…)- Coulter kids – Best behaved
- Capps Trailers – Best control of a float driven by a moose
- Pamlico Community College – Most enthusiasm
- NSA – Most likely to be ticketed for over loading a boat
- Portraits of Christ – Most consistent
- Barnett family – Best family float
- NC Coastal Heritage – Prettiest boat
- Animal Control – Best decoration on a municipal vehicle
- Ol’ Front Porch – Best banner walkers
- Dragon Boat – Largest boat in parade
- River Keeper – Valiant and true
- Reelsboro rescue boat – Wetest boat
- Fire Trucks – Most red paint
- Santa and the Coast Guard – Perfect ending to the parade
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Santa, at least one elf, and the Grinch visited Brantley’s for breakfast.Snow fell at the side door.The morning market was empty except for Irma Bond and Bob Lyons, who sells fresh eggs. Bob left early. Irma stayed.The Bean featured an ornament workshop for kids and adults, with free hot chocolate.Alexis Skurjunis dressed for the weather, selling her custom mosaics from the shelter of Marsha’s Cottage.The windy weather was perfect for Jennifer Del Rio’s wind chimes.Dave Sargent’s roasted red pepper tomato bisque coaxed visitors in from the cold. Towndock.net staff went back for seconds.Pre-parade preparations.The color guard opens every parade.A theme emerged early: 5 o’clock somewhere.Mayor Sally Belangia and her husband Ken in their themed golf cart. Ken serenaded the crowd with Jimmy Buffett karaoke.The Provision Company supplemented their Hawaiian shirts with long-sleeved thermals.A small reindeer and her mother wave to the crowds.Golf carts are the transportation of choice.The four legged residents of Oriental took also walked in the parade.Santa Pup knows if you’ve been bad or good.A dog and his pet carrier.Off-Shore Rafting handed out candy to the kids.And featured a fiery hula hoop dancer who bravely hooped in the cold.[page]
The Boy Scouts became pirates for a day.The float riders for Capps Trailer’s defied the cold and wore their bikinis anyway.A small Santa hitching a ride.Keeping warm.County Fire Rescue trucks in line for the parade.Practicing the left-handed candy throw.Santa, riding with the Coast Guard. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)The Red Baron makes an appearance. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)Jimmy Buffett staples: palm trees and margaritas.Festive Moose won for best control of a float (driven by a moose). (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)Another kind of parrot head.A Christmas Minion. A Frozen Olaf. The New Bern Yacht Club is parade ready.The Macy’s Day Parade view.Rotary serves up cheeseburgers in paradise. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)The Oriental Dragon attends every parade.Dragon handlers, Buffett style. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)Officer Blayney ends the parade with a smile. Other passengers appear less enthused.[page]
After the parade, the First Baptist Church invited attendees to their Christmas Cantata.Weather forced the live Nativity inside, where the happy couple waited by the manger.A shepherd and his flock.The warmest place outside the the Brewery.PAWS brought their adoptable dogs to do a meet and greet. This is Indy.Rabbit shows what he learned in the New Leash on Life program.The luminaria were lit before sunset, after the rain had passed.Hodges Street at sunset.Santa and the Mayor at the lighting of the star.Lighted boats and paddle boards navigate the harbor. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)Two-thirds of the Christmas Fruitcake Flotilla.Frosty the Snowman arrives at the Town Dock by kayak.The Bean and Village Gallery at night. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)Lights on Hodges Street. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)Luminaria at the end of the night. (Photo courtesy of Dori Arrington)