Lighted parade called 'best ever'

GRAVETTE — Gravette couldn’t have asked for a better night for the city’s first-ever lighted Christmas parade last Saturday. The floats were colorful, the crowd was large and children visited with Santa in Kindley Park after the parade ended there.

Gravette’s new Christmas lights were “almost” completed by parade time at 6 p.m., with workmen still atop Main Street buildings installing lights. Employees of “Get Lit,” a Springdale firm, returned to Gravette Monday to complete the installation.

Besides new pole and streetlights on Main Street, the plane in Kindley Park is blanketed with patriotic red, white and blue lights and the bandstand and park entrance glisten with festive decorations.

In Old Town Park, lighted archways across the steps into the lower level of the park lead visitors to a Nativity display, a mini-penguin skating display and a large lighted tree, all of which draw attention to more than two dozen other lighted seasonal exhibits.

Centennial Park also boasts a lighted band gazebo, and lights outline the historic caboose in the park.

All of the displays remain inplace during the Christmas and holiday season.

A Busy Day

Other activities during Saturday included offering of crafts from several vendors with booths and a percentage of receipts benefiting the Gravette Fire Department.

On Friday evening and again on Saturday afternoon, the Gravette Community Choir presented its Christmas program, which was enjoyed by several hundred people. The event included singers from local churches and was presented at the Assembly of God Church.

Following the parade, which also featured the High School Band, that group and the Middle School Band presentedprograms in Kindley Park.

Free cookies and hot chocolate were served until the larger-than-expected crowd exhausted the treats. And all the while, Santa and Mrs. Claus were greeting children in the historic bandstand, a center focus in the park whichis dedicated to World War I Air Ace Capt. Field E. Kindley.

To conclude the evening, Matt Reeves and the All Americans presented a good, old-fashion program of music in the Civic Center. Free chili, hot chocolate and cider were served,compliments of Gravette area businesses and individuals.

Gravette Mayor Byron Warren, the city council and all who contributed made the opening of the 2012 Christmas season what one observer termed: “The best ever !”