Christmas Parades in Greensboro, NC and Beyond for 2009

Christmas parades are a great way to celebrate the holiday season without spending a lot of money. The parades offer a wealth of enjoyment for children and adults. If you live in, or near, Greensboro, NC, you can find many December events to attend. Here is a brief highlight of the Christmas parades and events in Greensboro.

Greensboro Jaycees Holiday Parade

The Greensboro Jaycees Christmas parade has been taking place in downtown Greensboro for more than 30 years. The parade has attracted a lot of attention in the area, and many more sponsors have jumped onboard. This means a bigger and better parade each year. The parade includes large balloons, professional floats, marching bands from local high schools, and drill teams. This year the parade will start at noon on December 5^th on N. Greene and W. Lindsay St.

Pleasant Garden Christmas Parade

If you don't want to attend a large parade, the Pleasant Garden Christmas Parade will offer a small town parade that is still fun for all in attendance. In the past the parade has offered a classic car show, old time fire trucks, small floats, and lots of activities for children. There is no charge to attend the festivities, and for 2009 the parade will begin at 10 a.m. on December 5^th at the corner of Nesbit and Pleasant Garden Road.

Festival of Lights- Tanglewood

So this isn't exactly a parade, but it's a noteworthy Christmas event. The Tanglewood Festival of lights has been in existence for 18 years. They boast being the largest holiday light show in the southeast. The festival offers more than a hundred displays of lights with millions of twinkling bulbs. This year the Festival will kick off on November 13^th and run through January 3^rd. They will be open nightly from 6:00 p.m. through 11:00 p.m. Family cars, vans, and trucks are $14 Friday through Sunday, and on Christmas and New Years Eve, and $10 Monday through Thursday excluding holidays. If you have a larger group you can pay $20 or $25 for limos, commercial vans, or mini-buses. You can visit their website for more detailed information, including photos of past displays at www.forsyth.cc/tanglewood.

Christmas at Blandwood

The Blandwood Mansion, in the downtown Greensboro area, was the home to former Governor John Motley Morehead. The home is a 2-story farmhouse with both architectural and historical significance. Christmas is a special time at the mansion. The home is decorated in the same styles and decorations that were used in mid 1800's. It's a neat way to travel back in time, and teach your children something about days gone by. You can get information on rates and tour hours by visiting the website at www.blandwood.org.

Greensboro offers a lot to do around the holidays. A short drive to many of the surrounding small towns will increase the activities available.