Christmas Light Parade and Holiday Market

By Jon Whitbeck, Mount Pleasant Recreation Department

Who is thinking about the holidays in this summer heat?

Recreation professionals! Planning far in advance is necessary for all facets of recreation department management, and holiday events are no exception. Christmas in July has a whole new meaning for staff involved with community-wide holiday planning.

Winter holidays are a joyful time for many, and the Mount Pleasant Recreation Department (MPRD) does its part to ensure plenty of merriment with two major events that draw huge crowds: the Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade and the Holiday Market. The town’s grandest event is the Mount Pleasant Christmas Light Parade on the second Sunday every December. Around 100 local community organizations and companies march up West Coleman Boulevard in brilliantly lit fashion, riding on unique floats and marching in creatively illuminated groups, to the delight of an estimated twenty to thirty thousand residents and visitors.

The record-setting state championship Wando High School band has kicked off the parade for many years along with the Mayor, Town Councilors and other dignitaries. Grand Marshals have included such notable community members as Senator Tim Scott, the late Thomasena Stokes-Marshal, Lucy Beckham and Julian Smith, local celebrity meteorologist Rob Fowler, and Middleton Foundation’s Elliot Middleton. Legislators and most of the local media outlets join in the lineup.

The event has been live streamed with Ric Rush from “the Christmas station,” Y102.5 FM, and iHeart Radio’s Kelly Golden along with other special guest co-hosts.

For nearly 30 years, the parade has fostered a strong sense of community pride, with many floats created and sponsored by local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and schools who use the occasion as a “team building” morale boost. It provides an opportunity for those groups to come together to celebrate the season and showcase their creativity and talent. Additionally, the parade itself offers residents a variety of volunteer opportunities, giving even more people a chance to get involved and contribute to the festivities.

Another major winter event organized by MPRD is the Holiday Market, held at the town’s Farmers Market Pavilion on the grounds of a local middle school on Coleman Boulevard. A tradition for 25 years, the Holiday Market attracts about 5,000 shoppers. Each year, around 100 vendors offer a variety of items including jewelry, home décor, leather goods, forged iron products, stained glass, local sweetgrass baskets, and much more.

The Holiday Market provides many benefits to the greater community. Buying from the event supports small businesses and local artisans who produce unique items made with care. Shoppers can meet the artists and crafters behind the products. Often vendors share their creative processes, giving shoppers an appreciation for the care invested into their items. This personal connection can add a special meaning to gift-giving, adding to the spirit of the holidays. The Holiday Market can also ignite a creative spark in attendees looking for DIY ideas.

Both events bring our community together to celebrate the season, in light, song, dance, and craft. MPRD never stops getting ready for the holidays, and we bet many of you don’t either. n