Community prepares Christmas pageantry

Christmas events already are being planned around Columbia County, and all of them are seeking craft vendors for bazaars or participants for parades.

Here is a list of area Christmas events:

- The Grovetown Christ-mas tree will be lit at dusk Dec. 2, and the city's Christmas parade will begin at noon Dec. 3. Applications for parade participation are available from the Grovetown Department of Public Safety, 306 E. Robinson Ave., Grovetown, GA 30813; by e-mail at municipalcourt@bellsouth.net; or by calling 863-1212.

- The Grovetown Museum will sponsor the second annual Community Christmas Tree at the museum in December. Local crafters are asked to donate handmade items to be displayed on the tree. For more information, call the museum at 868-6338 or Elaine Matthews at 863-2422.

- Christmas in America, the lighting of the official Columbia County Christmas tree, will begin with Santa's arrival at 4:30 p.m. Dec. 3. Musical performances start at 5:30 p.m., and the tree-lighting is at 6:30 p.m. in front of the Justice Center in Evans. The event includes vendors, music and celebrity tree-lighters. Vendor spaces are available. For information, call 312-7194 by Nov. 28.

- The Martinez-Evans Christmas Parade has a new route that begins at the Doctors Hospital Field in Evans at 2 p.m. Dec. 4. The parade will travel down Ronald Reagan Drive to Washington Road, move east on Washington Road and turn onto Belair Road, ending at Bel Air Elementary School. To participate, call Billy Becton at 863-7645.

- Harlem's tree lighting will be at dusk Dec. 1. The city's Christmas parade will begin at 11 a.m. Dec. 10, and vendor spaces are available for Christmas in the Heart of Downtown Harlem that day from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. For information, call 556-0401.