12 Things You Might Not Know About the Folly Christmas Parade
by Jenny Peterson | Staff Writer
Now in its 29th year, the Folly Beach Christmas Parade has grown into a beloved annual event on the beach featuring floats, walking groups and other entries.
“It’s just a lot of joy. it truly is a genuinely festive and fun day where everybody feels the spirit of the holidays,” says Colleen Jolley, Folly Beach Community Coordinator, who organizes the event. “It’s a stress-free way to get into the spirit of the holidays.”
“It’s a huge drawing card for the city and it brings people from all over the place,” said Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin. “It’s unique in that we don’t have a lot of rules or fees for participants. We try to be inclusive.”
Here are 12 things you may not know about the longtime annual parade.
1.) It started in 1990, the year after Hurricane Hugo, as a way to bring joy to those who were returning to the island.
2.) In lieu of an entry fee, parade participants are asked to donate toys to Toy for Tots.
3.) There has been the same Santa for 22 years, a Santa who moonlights as a volunteer firefighter on Folly Beach. He is the only Santa in the parade, and he rides on the Folly Beach fire truck, which is the last vehicle concluding the parade. “I grew up on Folly Beach; I drove the school bus on Folly Beach,” Santa says. “I see kids I drove on the school bus who now come up to Santa with their grandkids and don’t realize who it is sitting in that chair.”
4.) There is a large musical component in the parade. This year, the James Island Charter High School Band and Camp Road Middle School Band are set to march in the parade.
5.) There are official judges who watch the parade from a stage in front of Town Hall. This year, judges will be three city employees who live on the island. They judge on Most Original, Best Band/Music Group and Best Spirit of the Season. Many groups briefly pause in front of judges to perform a little extra. Jolley recalls a musical group in the past pausing to sing before the judges.
6.) Winners in each category are announced on the city’s Facebook page the Monday after the parade. First, second and third place winners get cash prizes.
7.) Immediately following the parade, Santa stops at the Folly River Park to talk to kids about what they want for Christmas. “He goes and sits in his chair and talks with children until every last child is spoken to,” Jolley said.
8.) Folly Beach’s Citizen of the Year rides in the parade each year. The Citizen of the Year is named by Mayor Goodwin and is based on a citizen’s volunteer work and service to the city. The winner is ceremoniously announced at city’s boards and commissions gathering in late November. “It’s usually somebody that not many people know because it’s someone in the background doing work for the city and the citizens,” said Goodwin, who adds that he thinks about whom to nominate all year. “Naming the citizen of the year is one of my favorite things about the job of mayor.”
9.) As tradition, the night before the parade, Santa arrives to greet children and families at the Folly River Park. Santa arrives at 6 p.m. with large stockings of small gifts for children. Goodwin said there is usually a piece of fruit, candy and an age-appropriate gift in each stocking, assembled by city staff and volunteers. “This event goes hand-in-hand with the parade. There were up to 300 stockings one year,” Jolley said. This year’s event will be held on Friday, Dec. 13.
10.) Participating in the parade is a tradition for many. “Most everyone from prior years comes back to participate again,” Jolley says. Groups change up their décor or theme each year. Past floats have been decorated to look like a pirate ship and a gingerbread house.
11.) Local “dignitaries” are the lead cars/floats of the parade. The dignitaries in front this year will be Grand Marshal Folly Beach Public Safety Chief Andrew Gilreath and Folly Beach Chief Deputy Rocky Burke. Winners of the Miss Sea and Sand Festival competition will also ride. Last year, newly-elected State Rep. Joe Cunningham rode in the parade.
12.) Next year will mark the 30th anniversary of the Folly Beach Christmas Parade. It will be BIG, promises Jolley. She’s already planning to do new things to celebrate the milestone. “There will be a lot of surprises.”
