From humble to huge

Gerri Roberts remembers the first time Chelsea had a Christmas parade. The little procession got some accidental help to lengthen it.

“It was small, but it was fun,” she said. “Two trains went through during it, or else it would have been over in 10 minutes.”

Roberts is the GIS coordinator for the city of Chelsea. In 1999, she told her husband, Keith, that the Chelsea community needed a Christmas parade similar to the one in their former hometown of Grapevine, Texas. After he spoke with the mayor, the annual event began, and continues to grow and be a tradition for many families. For the past nine years, Roberts has been the one planning it.

Now in its 16th year, the Chelsea Christmas Parade has 70 to 80 entrants each year. This year’s parade and Christmas Village will be on Saturday, Dec. 19, starting at 10 a.m. 

The newly completed Chelsea Community Center will serve as the parade’s starting point and the floats will follow Highway 49 to Highway 47 and end at the Winn Dixie shopping center. If the weather cooperates, a large turnout is expected. 

“It’s rained the past two years, so we’re hoping for better weather this year,” Roberts said. 

The parade will feature 12 large professional floats, which are rented from a company in Georgia. The fire department, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts lead the parade and carry the flags. Tiffany Bittner of WBRC will serve as the emcee. Also participating in the parade will be beauty queens, dance studios, the Chelsea High School Band and more. 

"The band loves to be a part of the parade. We've been in it every year. We don't wear our uniforms, we wear special Chelsea blue band hoodies. Everyone has a good time,” said Chelsea High School Band Director Dane Lawley. "It's really good, because the Chelsea parade is the Saturday after we get out of school. It's such a big deal and the kids are all excited about it."

Lawley said about 220 students will march with the band – 184 from the high school and the remainder from the seventh and eighth grade bands at Chelsea Middle. They will continue their yearly performance of “Christmas Carols on Parade,” a medley of holiday songs.

Things will kick off before the parade begins at the entertainment stage, located behind the Winn Dixie Shopping Center. Performances will begin at 9 a.m. 

Before, during or after the parade, guests can shop the Christmas Village. Located at the end of the parade route, across from the grandstands in the acreage behind Dairy Queen, the booths will be open from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Held in conjunction with the parade, the open air village will feature sweets, arts and crafts, gifts, a silent auction and more.

Started in 2012, the first Christmas Village featured 77 booths. This event is sponsored by the Yellowleaf Ridge Estates Homeowners Association, and money raised will benefit the Yellowleaf HOA in their building and expanding of Dogwood Creek Park, an area located in the subdivision. 

Brenda Mellen, who serves as Yellowleaf HOA president, is heading up the event again this year. She coordinates the vendors and booths and the fees they pay are what benefits the HOA. 

“Everything we make from Christmas Village goes directly into the park,” she said “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year. We are still building the infrastructure of one big bridge, and need a second one. We want to make it where you can do a complete loop around the park without getting muddy.”

The vendors in Christmas Village will be selling everything from wreaths, jewelry, wood carvings and food. 

“I always tell people to bring a variety of different priced items,” Mellen said. “We usually have a little bit of everything.”

One of the new vendors this year will be selling chocolates, Mellen said. Other fair type food, such as kettle corn and funnel cakes will be available. 

Following the parade, Santa Claus will tour surrounding neighborhoods with a Chelsea Fire Department engine serving as his “sleigh.” Shelby County Commissioner Bill Kinnebrew will be wearing the red suit again this year.

For more on the parade or in the event of inclement weather, visit cityofchelsea.com or call 678-8455. For more on the Christmas Village or to find a vendor application, visit yellowleafhoa.com and click on “Christmas Village 2015.”