If you want a real holiday treat, let me suggest you spend some time this week down in Demopolis for the annual “Christmas On The River”. Seems like about every river town has developed their own version, but this is the original, started way back in 1972. The celebration has become a week long event, but the big day is Saturday. A big arts and crafts show goes on all day at the square in the center of town; a championship barbeque cook-off takes place at the City Landing, a Children’s Day Parade winds through the streets of the town, there are various kinds of entertainment on stages in the downtown area.
The big event is still the annual nautical parade of floats “that really float” coming down the Tombigbee River, which begins at 6:30 Saturday night. These are animated floats, that in some cases have been developed for many years. As they float down the river, a huge fireworks display lights the sky over the river making for a beautiful scene. My first Christmas On The River was back in 1973, when I was in high school; I went down from Tuscaloosa to volunteer as an amateur radio operator to help coordinate the nautical parade. I have been to many of them over the years and it seems to get bigger and better every year. The most difficult years came when the Tombigbee was in flood, and the floats had to dodge huge logs and a variety of other objects in the river. But, somehow the show has always gone on rain or shine. The good news is that the weather looks excellent for the big day on Saturday, with ample sunshine and temperatures in the 50s during the day.
Demopolis is about 60 miles south of Tuscaloosa; take I-59/20 south from Tuscaloosa, and exit onto U.S. 43 at the Knoxville exit, and follow U.S. 43 into downtown Demopolis!
The big event is still the annual nautical parade of floats “that really float” coming down the Tombigbee River, which begins at 6:30 Saturday night. These are animated floats, that in some cases have been developed for many years. As they float down the river, a huge fireworks display lights the sky over the river making for a beautiful scene. My first Christmas On The River was back in 1973, when I was in high school; I went down from Tuscaloosa to volunteer as an amateur radio operator to help coordinate the nautical parade. I have been to many of them over the years and it seems to get bigger and better every year. The most difficult years came when the Tombigbee was in flood, and the floats had to dodge huge logs and a variety of other objects in the river. But, somehow the show has always gone on rain or shine. The good news is that the weather looks excellent for the big day on Saturday, with ample sunshine and temperatures in the 50s during the day.
Demopolis is about 60 miles south of Tuscaloosa; take I-59/20 south from Tuscaloosa, and exit onto U.S. 43 at the Knoxville exit, and follow U.S. 43 into downtown Demopolis!
on December 1, 2004, 9:33 am
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