We may still be experiencing good old North Carolina variable weather conditions this December, but it’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in Clinton and Sampson County. Many of you bundled up and came to Downtown Clinton last Thursday, Dec. 3 for “Christmas in the City.” The Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce proudly partnered with the City of Clinton for this fun-filled evening of festivities.
The evening began with the lighting of the Clinton community Christmas tree as delectable smells filled the air from the “Taste of Christmas” catering event setting up underneath the City Market. This year’s event highlighted the cuisine of Southern Smoke BBQ of Garland, Ribeyes of Clinton, Cowboy’s BBQ of Clinton, and Piggly Wiggly of Clinton.
Event-goers participated in horse-drawn carriage rides, hay rides, experienced “Christmas Memories” at the history museum, listened to performers sing at the Courthouse square, decorated ginger bread cookies, and maybe even took the plunge down the “Snowzilla” slide. Local shops were open late and the Kiwanis Club hosted a Secret Christmas Shop in the courthouse to give kids the opportunity to do some Christmas shopping for grown-ups.
The Clinton-Sampson Chamber of Commerce is keeping the Christmas spirit alive this Saturday with the Clinton Christmas Parade which will begin at 10 a.m. The forecast is calling for sunshine and low-70s, but a little warm weather won’t keep Santa away! The Clinton Christmas Parade is made possible by the dedicated efforts of our parade committee, chaired by Steve Stefanovich of Go Toyota. The parade has been hosted in Clinton for over 50 years, and we expect 2,500-3,000 people to attend on Saturday to watch our wonderful group of floats, antique cars, pageant queens, and marching bands as they lead the way through Downtown Clinton, ending with Mr. Claus himself.
The Chamber invites you to attend Go Toyota’s Christmas “Jingle and Mingle” Business After Hours this evening (Thursday, Dec. 10) from 5:30-7 p.m., located at 1615 Sunset Avenue in Clinton. Come out and join us for this networking opportunity, and check out Go Toyota’s wide selection of new and used vehicles. You might just find yourself the perfect Christmas gift.
As a reminder, the Chamber office will operate under limited hours between 3-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday. At other times, you can reach us by leaving a message on our office telephone, 910-592-6177, or emailing us at [email protected].