thedailytimes.com : Your 24/7 news source

Eight Christmas parades are scheduled in Blount County beginning Saturday through Dec. 12.

The Town of Louisville will have the first parade of the season on Saturday. Lineup will be at 11 a.m. and the parade will start at noon.

The parade will start at Louisville Christian Church on Topside Road, go down Topside, turn right onto Louisville Road and end at Louisville Town Hall, 3623 Louisville Road.

The annual Ellejoy Christmas Parade will begin at 10 a.m. Dec. 5 with lineup at 9:30 a.m. at Ellejoy Road Market and Deli. The route will go up Ellejoy Road to Oak View Baptist Church and then back to the market.

The Townsend Christmas Parade will be Dec. 6. Lineup will start at 1 p.m. and the parade will begin at 2:30 p.m. in the field next to Townsend Visitors Center on East Lamar Alexander Parkway. It will travel down East Lamar Alexander Parkway to Nawger Nob Craft Settlement, where a program of Christmas music will be presented. Prizes will be announced and free refreshments served.

Four parades will be held on Dec. 12 -- Maryville-Alcoa Jaycees, Friendsville, Greenback and Rockford.

Traditionally the largest parade in the county, the Maryville-Alcoa Jaycee Christmas Parade will start at 11 a.m. and lineup will begin at 9 a.m. on Joule Street and Rankin Road in Alcoa.

The route will begin on Joule Street and cross Calderwood Street into New Midland Plaza. It will go through New Midland Plaza and then turn right onto North Cusick Street. At the top of the hill, it will turn right onto West Broadway Avenue and continue straight through downtown Maryville. At the intersection of Broadway and West Lamar Alexander Parkway, the parade will turn right and end at New Providence Presbyterian Church.

The Friendsville Christmas Parade will begin at 2 p.m. with lineup starting at 1 p.m. It will leave Friendsville Elementary School on East Fourth Avenue, turn left on North Farnum Street, right on West College Avenue, right on North Morgan Street, left on West Second Avenue, left on North Young Street, right on West College Avenue, left on Church Street, left on West Hill Avenue, left on North Farnum Street and right on East Third Avenue arriving back at the elementary school where free refreshments will be served in the school cafeteria by the Citizens for Community Improvement.

Greenback Christmas Parade will begin at 2 p.m. with lineup starting at 1 p.m. at Greenback School. The parade will proceed down Tennessee Avenue to Highway 95 and on to Morganton Road.

Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus will give out treats to the children in front of Regions Bank on Morganton Road, The parade will end at the school.

Rockford Christmas Parade will begin at 2 p.m. with lineup beginning at 1 p.m. at Littlebrook Industrial Park.

The rain date is Sunday, Dec.13.

The parade route will begin the industrial park down Singleton Station Road to Williams Mill Road, turning left onto Old Knoxville Highway and then following Little River Road to Rockford City Park.

The Vonore Christmas Parade is set for 2 p.m. Dec. 19 with lineup starting at noon at Vonore Middle School. From the school the parade will proceed down Hall Street and wind up at Vonore Baptist Church on Old Slag Road.