Christmas in Cashiers

As much as we love being in Greenville for the holidays, there are just some events that prove to be too much for the younger kids, one example being the Poinsettia Christmas Parade. Between finding parking downtown, getting there early enough to get a good spot, keeping the kids occupied until the parade starts and then managing the hungry little guys upon getting home late, parade day could be extremely taxing on this mom’s holiday spirit! I can’t exactly remember how we first heard about our new holiday tradition, but a Christmas in the Upstate now includes a trip to the mountains for the Cashiers Christmas Parade!

The 42nd Annual Cashiers Christmas Parade will kick off at 12pm on Saturday, December 10^th at the intersection of Cashiers School Road and NC Highway 107 South. This year’s parade will be decorated to the theme of "Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly,” celebrating the Valley Garden Club's 30^th Anniversary. The parade includes floats, marching bands, musicians, vintage cars, fire engines and even animals, and continues all the way to US Highway 64 and Frank Allen Rd. With ample parking and a mile of viewing, you’ll be sure to find the perfect vantage point to set up your chair; just remember, some of the 75+ floats throw candy (as is a small-town tradition here in the Carolinas), so you’ll want to find a safe spot for the kids to gather up the goodies!

After the parade be sure to explore The Village Green! A 12.5 acre park, The Village Green is an outdoor venue for community events including concerts & festivals, and in addition to the large public sculptures and seasonal gardens, the park also features a giant wooden children's playground. If it isn’t too cold you could bring a picnic, although my children are always rooting for snow – a not unheard-of possibility up in the mountains! Visitors to The Village Green this holiday season will enjoy twinkling light displays and festive decorations until New Year's Day.

Cashiers is about 1½ hours from Greenville, so we’ll often combine the trip with other stops such as Rainbow Falls, a hike in Gorges State Park, or a ride on the Polar Express. For the parade route as well as rain-date information, please visit the Cashiers Community information page.