The 2022 Edition of the Holly Jolly Electric Christmas Parade is ready to roll this Saturday evening, December 10. Sponsored by the Downtown Paris Association (DPA) and Michael Sargent-State Farm Agency, the parade kicks off at 5:00 pm, immediately following Santa’s Christmas Festival. Each year, the parade committee honors individuals and organizations by naming a grand marshal, a featured school and a DPA Ambassador to be celebrated during the parade.
The 2022 honorees are:
Grand Marshal – Paris-Henry County Bicentennial Committee
Honored School – Dorothy and Noble Harrelson School
DPA Ambassadors – Kathy and Larry Ray
The Paris-Henry County Bicentennial Committee is the parade’s grand marshal. This committee has created numerous events in celebration of the city and county’s joint bicentennial that spans three years, 2021-2023, according to committee member, Marsha Banasiewicz. “This group represents a number of dedicated individuals in the county who are passionate about sharing its history and celebrating this great milestone,” she said.
Dorothy and Noble Harrelson School will be the parade’s featured school. Opened in 2004, the PreK – 8th school, located in Puryear, has 450 students and is supported by 61 faculty and staff members. It was named for the land donors who were devoted to the community and its children, according to Principal Lisa Wyatt. “The Harrelson Hawks are delighted to be joining the festivities this year,” said Wyatt. “I encourage all Henry Countians to check out our school’s Facebook page for a glimpse of our collective enthusiasm for educating students. We enjoy using the holidays as a means for learning everything from history to math to language arts. As the parade’s featured school, we are eager to bring the Harrelson Hawks float, plus a few surprises, to Downtown Paris and help lead this honored tradition.”
Kathy and Larry Ray, familiar faces to all who love Downtown Paris, will share the title of DPA Ambassador. The DPA Ambassador award shines a spotlight on those who have gone above and beyond for downtown. As former DPA executive director, Kathy Ray worked on recruitment; fundraising; a long list of downtown projects, including the historical Back Alley Paris Murals, the impressive invasion of painted catfish; and annual events, such as Downtown Paris Week, and the ice cream social. Larry Ray is Kathy’s strong right arm. He worked tirelessly behind the scenes on event signage, staging, seating and more.
