Get ready to pull out your most garish holiday attire because Marietta's Ugly Sweater Parade is making a comeback this December. As part of the city's Christmas Tree Lighting Festival, the parade invites participants to showcase their eye-catching, pattern-clashing sweaters on December 5th.
The festive event, which starts off from Marietta City Hall at 4:45PM, will complete a .4 mile loop, winding its way to Glover Park via Lawrence St and the Square. Groups, individuals, and businesses interested in joining the festive procession with Santa must apply before the 5:00PM November 15 deadline. Applications are available on the city's website, as detailed in a statement obtained by the City of Marietta.
In addition to the parade, the Christmas Tree Lighting Festival promises a wholesome day filled with choir performances, opportunities to meet Santa Claus, and the centerpiece event—the lighting of the Christmas tree. Tradition intertwines with community as families gather to ignite the yuletide spirit in a public celebration of warmth amidst the closing chill of the year.
Marietta Parks, Recreation & Facilities are overseeing the event, which has become an emblematic moment of togetherness for the community. Their announcement notes that "Marietta's Ugly Sweater Parade" is a family-friendly occasion, nudging at the collective nostalgia stitched into the season's tapestry. However, they also give a cautionary nod stating that events could face cancellation in accordance to executive orders, including those related to COVID-19 or external factors as decreed by Governor Brian Kemp.
Those eager to embrace the light-hearted revelry of the holiday season can find more information or register for the parade at the city's official website. With the application process now open, it's time to dig through your wardrobe for that one sweater that straddles the line between festive and wonderfully outrageous.
