On Saturday, Dec. 5 immediately following the annual Columbus Christmas Parade, the town of Columbus will launch a new community event called “Carols and Cocoa.” This free event will feature Polk County High School’s Choral Group leading those in attendance in traditional Christmas carols. Complimentary hot cocoa and cookies will be served near the gazebo in Historic Stearns Park.

 

Town Manager Tim Barth wanted to do something to engage the community who faithfully lines the streets of Columbus each year for the annual Christmas Parade which is coordinated on the first Saturday in December by the Columbus Fire Department. This year’s goals were also to highlight many of the new Christmas decorations that were purchased recently thanks to funds from the Columbus Town Council.

 

Our Carolina Foothills, a non-profit whose mission is to advance the quality of life for residents and enhance the visitor experience through campaigns and events that highlight our area’s uniqueness, is helping to coordinate this gathering and build on what we see as an opportunity to promote Historic Downtown Columbus to tourists.

“Each year hundreds of people come out to our county seat for the parade but then they leave. We are hoping to work with local businesses down the line to retain these visitors and encourage them to dine, shop and stroll through the town and the rest of the Foothills.”

 

Java Up, the newest mobile coffee truck servicing the Foothills, will be set up near the gazebo from 4:30-6 p.m. providing hot drinks for sale as well as providing complimentary cocoa from 5 – 6 p.m. to the first 100 people. Cookies will also be available courtesy of the Columbus Town Council.

 

For more information on the parade, contact Tony Priester or Timothy Stewart at 828-894-3667. For more information on the town of Columbus visit www.columbusnc.com. For more information about Our Carolina Foothills visit www.facebook.com/ourcarolinafoothills or www.ourcarolinafoothills.com.

 

– Submitted by Mindy Wiener