Hometown Holidays Returns To Cliffside For Third Year

When you put together a group of Cliffside natives who want to plan a fun Christmas event for the community, the result becomes one that goes throughout the day leading into a night of twinkling lights.

Cliffside’s Hometown Holidays event will be held Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. The community has been decorated for Christmas for the past several years, but the Hometown Holidays event is relatively new, said one of its organizers, Jill Greene. 

“This is our third one, and it was a vision of Amy’s,” Greene said, speaking of another organizer, Amy Drum. 

Drum and others started decorating the town and had the idea of holding a Christmas parade. From there, the event grew to include musical groups, which is how Greene became involved.

“Every year we wanted to build on it,” she said. “This year we decided to invite vendors and do something where we could involve the whole town.” 

The event is centered around the town clock on Main Street, but other organizations and businesses take part in the holiday display, Greene said. 

“Last year the rescue hut was decorated and McKinney-Landreth & Carroll Funeral Home decorates too,” she said. 

In the past the parade has included Harley-Davidson motorcycles, cars, tractors, the Cliffside Volunteer Fire Department, horses and children’s favorite - Santa Claus. 

“Santa will be here,” Greene said, smiling. “He will be riding in on a tractor if all goes as planned.” 

Those looking for Christmas gifts might be able to find them in Cliffside as well. Some of the vendors that will have booths at the event includes In a Pickle, BeautiControl, Thirty-One, Origami Owl and custom wreaths and barn quilts. 

While the events will end at 4 p.m., Hometown Holidays doesn’t end then. The Christmas trees and luminaries will be lighted at dark. 

“Luminaries can be purchased for $5 and Christmas trees for $35,” Greene said. “It’s a way for folks to pay tribute to their loved ones.” 

To purchase either, contact Kathy Hawkins at 828-657-5555. 

Volunteers worked the Saturday before Thanksgiving to prepare for the event, putting up garland and stringing lights. 

“I decorate more here than my own home,” Drum said, laughing. 

The event will be held rain or shine. For more information, like Cliffside Day on Facebook.