By Samantha Swindler / Managing Editor

It's been so many years since Johnny Parsons started Barbourville's Christmas parade, he can't exactly remember the date.

But he does remember how it all began.

"The assistant chief of police use to be Gerald Bundy. He always played Santa Claus for the Kiwanis, and he went up through town and I drove the fire truck," said Parsons, who served as a Barbourville fireman for close to 20 years.

"He just passed out the treats, and we did that for years, I don't know how many years, and finally the Kiwanis went broke."

After the Kiwanis Club folded, Parsons and Bundy decided to build a sleigh, put it on a trailer and drive it through town to continue the tradition. The sleigh was a hit, and the following year, they decided to host a Christmas parade.

The men also helped decorate the courthouse and put up a community Christmas tree, duties that are now handled by city workers.

"It just evolved over a period of years, and it's gotten real big now, but there has been a lot of people who've made it happen," Parsons said.

That first year of the "I Believe in Santa Claus" Parade saw maybe 25 floats, he said. Recent years have had as many as 50 entries — but Parsons rarely gets to see them.

"I don't get to see it," Parsons said. "I'm with Santa Claus (at the end of the parade), but we enjoy it. Mainly it's for the kids, and the kids have a big time."

The tradition continues next Saturday, Nov. 27. Starting at 4 p.m., Santa will be having milk and cookies and roasting marshmallows in the courthouse lobby with local children.

Free horse-drawn carriage rides around the courthouse square, sponsored by Barbourville Tourism, will be given from 4-6 p.m.

"Usually we provide rides for 250-300 people," said Barbourville Tourism Director Betty Cole. "We started 3-4 years ago with the carriage rides and they are just very, very popular."

Christmas carol singing by Artemus First Baptist Church will begin at 5 p.m., followed by the "I Believe in Santa" parade at 6 p.m.

The parade starts at First Baptist Church on North Main Street, circles the courthouse squares, heads up Knox Street, takes a left on Allison Avenue, and heads to Barbourville City Park. There, Santa will greet children and hand out treats.

"It started from a little parade into a nice big Christmas parade. That's what got the ball rolling for Christmas activities in downtown Barbourville," Cole said. "They have a really good (parade) committee and that committee continues to grow."

To enter a float in this year's parade, contact Johnny or Beverly Parsons at Knox Body Shop, 606-546-5187.

Barbourville is brimming with other holiday events in the next few weeks. Barbourville Independent School will have its annual Winter Festival at 7 p.m. Monday and 1 p.m. Tuesday. The long-standing tradition showcases the singing and dancing skills of students from preschool to sixth grade. Each grade performs a skit, and this year's theme is "TV Shows." Tickets are $3. Students are also having a silent auction on decorated gift baskets, with money raised benefiting the technology fund.

Also on Tuesday, the downtown Christmas tree lighting ceremony will be held at 5 p.m. at the courthouse square, with the theme "Bright Lights, Little City." Events will include a live Nativity from 5-7 p.m., Christmas caroling, a reading of "The Christmas Story," and a candlelit tour of decorated downtown Barbourville.

"People are decorating their storefronts and getting ready for the holiday season," Cole said.

They're also competing in the Main Street program's best Christmas wreath contest. First prize for downtown businesses is $100, second prize is $50 and third prize is $25.

At 7 p.m. Tuesday, First Christian Church is sponsoring a community-wide Thanksgiving service.

There will be another live Nativity, peopled by local church members, from 6-8 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, at the courthouse.

The Barbourville Garden Club will host its annual Tour of Homes & Churches from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6. The tour general includes 4-5 homes and 3-5 churches, all of which are decorated for the holidays. Tickets can be purchased at the tourism office at Barbourville City Hall. Proceeds benefit the Garden Club.