Anyone who may need a jumpstart into feeling that holiday spirit need only chat for a moment with Dr. Alice Sallins with the Vance County Arts Council. Whether she’s promoting the upcoming Tidings of Comfort and Joy concert at McGregor Hall or talking up the Henderson Christmas parade, Sallins exudes that excitement and anticipation that comes along with the holiday season.
The concert takes place on Saturday, Nov. 30 at 4 p.m., Sallins said on Thursday’s TownTalk. The show is free to attend, and Sallins said the audience is in for a real treat.
Clearview Church pastor Dr. Abidan Shah will emcee the he first portion of the show which will feature sacred music and then he’ll pass the mic to Mixmaster James Williams who’ll emcee the second portion of the show that features secular music.
The concert features recording artists Lynn Cooper, Spencer Alston and Tia “Catillia” Cheek, and Sallins said there will be other local musicians and groups lined up to perform as well.
“We give you the best that we can offer,” Sallins said. “We look forward to packing the house.”
Other musical and dance performers include Clearview Church Praise Team, vocalist Evelyn C. Couch, Davida Lewis, Sequoia Epps Hargrove, St. Mary’s Praise Dancers, Work In Progress, Holy Temple Praise Dancers, Brotherhood and Jimmy & the Sound Barriers.
Sallins said she wants the show to be something that makes people feel good. People feel sad during the holidays, especially if they’ve lost loved ones. “We want to do something to help cheer people up,” she said.
Spreading that holiday cheer continues on Saturday, Dec. 7 when the Christmas Parade makes its way up Raleigh Road toward Garnett Street to the delight of onlookers along the parade route.
Over the years, Sallins and her Arts Council team have promoted the parade “to build it up to something great, ‘cause I love, love, love Christmas,” she exclaimed. “The highlight of my holiday is standing at the beginning of that parade line, flagging that first car down the road.”
This year’s parade features seven professional floats, but there are plenty of locally made floats that are sure to delight the crowds as well.
“Maria Parham goes all out of the way to build these phenomenal floats,” Sallins said, calling out the hospital team for its creativity in years past. And although throwing candy from floats is strictly a no-no, she said it’s perfectly fine for folks to walk alongside the floats to distribute sweet treats to folks along the parade route.
“Everyone has stepped up their game,” Sallins said of the local parade entries. “Each year the parade gets bigger and better…more elaborate scenery.”
Time is tight to get your parade entry form in, however. Technically, today is the deadline, but Sallins said as long as she gets the completed form by next Saturday, it should be ok.
One piece of information is non-negotiable, however. All vehicle drivers must provide a copy of his or her insurance, Sallins said.
And please just put the forms and entry fees – checks made out to the Vance County Arts Council – in the mail. Last Thanksgiving, she said folks were calling her all day and late into the night to ask how to get their entry forms to her.
Visit https://vanceartscouncil.com/ and click on Henderson, NC Christmas Parade to read rules and download the entry form.
Mail entries to:
Vance County Arts Council
P.O. Box 34
Henderson, NC 27536
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