Opelika’s Winter Wonderland

Story By Wil Crews Photos By Robert Noles

The city of Opelika is hosting its annual Christmas parade, Snopelika event and Christmas tree lighting on Friday, Dec. 2.

“Christmas in Opelika makes you feel like you live in a Hallmark movie,” said Opelika Chamber of Commerce CEO Ali Rauch. “The city has invested so much in making Opelika a Christmas destination, making it feel really special.”

Sponsored by the Opelika Chamber of Commerce and Prewett Pest Control, this year’s Christmas season kick-off event will look a little different from years past. Traditionally, the Christmas festivities in Opelika have begun with a parade on the first Saturday of December. This year, the parade will begin on Friday evening at 5:30 p.m. (with lineup beginning at 4:30 p.m.), followed by Snopelika at 6:15 p.m. at Courthouse Square and the Christmas tree lighting at 7:30 p.m.

“People love Christmas lights, so we decided to combine the events into one night,” Rauch said. “Kids should be able to get out of school and lined up … and as the parade ends, snow will begin falling and Snopelika begins. We will keep Christmas music playing throughout the night so that people can shop, grab dinner and enjoy the festivities. It will be a seamless Christmas extravaganza.”

The Christmas parade route is different this year, too, Rauch said. To get familiar with this year’s route, make sure to visit: https://www.opelikachamber.com/cultivate-community/ snopelika/. Hundreds of community members will line the streets to see over 70 parade entries. Floats with all kinds of holiday themes, as well as local marching bands, will parade through the street as they lead the crowd to Courthouse Square for Snopelika.

This Christmas season marks the fourth annual Snopelika in Opelika. The annual community event transports attendees to a winter wonderland, as artificial snow falls throughout the square.

“We live in Alabama; we don’t get snow,” Rauch said. “So, to bring in snow machines and create a winter wonderland for kids is just such an awesome start to the holiday season. Every moment of Snopelika warms my heart.”

The night’s festivities will close with a Christmas tree lighting ceremony, as the OHS band leads the crowd to the corner of 9th Street and South Railroad Avenue to listen to the city council read “A Night Before Christmas” and watch as Mayor Gary Fuller flips the switch.

The aim of the entire night is to properly kick off the Christmas season and to continue making Christmas in Opelika a special time for all, Rauch explained.

“To know that we are the catalyst to help provide incredible memories for families is very rewarding,” she said. “There are people who have shared stories about how they have childhood memories of coming to the Christmas parade. So, yeah, we should continue that. We want that legacy to continue. Those memories are what make them love Opelika, and if they love Opelika, they stay in Opelika and they choose to build their family and their home here. So, it all folds together. To be able to provide those memories for families and children is very rewarding.”

For more information, follow the Opelika Chamber on Facebook or visit Opelikachamber.com.