City Hall names winners for Downtown Parade of Lights

If you missed this year’s Athens holiday parade, or if you were there and would like to see it again, video from the Downtown Parade of Lights is available for viewing on ACCTV and on the Athens-Clarke County government’s YouTube channel.

From the Athens-Clarke Co government website...

A video of the 2023 Downtown Parade of Lights is broadcasting daily on ACTV, the Athens-Clarke County government access television channel, every four hours at 8:00 AM, noon, 4:00 PM, 8:00 PM, midnight, and 4:00 AM, except when pre-empted by broadcasts or rebroadcasts of Mayor and Commission meetings. The parade video will air through January 1 and runs approximately an hour and 10 minutes.

The parade video is also available online for on-demand viewing, along with past parade videos, through the Athens-Clarke County website at www.accgov.com/parade or www.accgov.com/videos and the official Athens-Clarke County YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/accgov or through the YouTube app.

Residents with a Roku streaming video device can also watch the 2023 parade video and 20 years of past parade videos on the ACCGov Roku channel. Viewers can search for ‘accgov’ in the Roku streaming store and add the channel to their device. A special playlist of on-demand parade videos since 2003 is available through January 1, along with the ongoing featured live feed of ACTV and on-demand playlists for Mayor and Commission meetings, featured videos, and timelapse videos.

In addition to airing the 2023 parade, ACTV will broadcast a special marathon of back-to-back Downtown Parade of Lights videos from 2003-2023 on repeat during the 48 hours of December 24 and 25.

ACTV is programmed and managed by the Athens-Clarke County Public Information Office. ACTV can be viewed on Charter Cable Channel 180 and online. ACTV’s programming schedule and live feed is available at www.accgov.com/actv.

The parade originally took place on Thursday, December 7, 2023. The Downtown Parade of Lights is presented by the Athens-Clarke County Unified Government (ACCGov) and the Athens Downtown Development Authority. It is coordinated by the ACC Leisure Services Department with assistance from the ACC Central Services, Fire, and Police Departments. This year’s community Christmas tree was donated by Greg and Cindy Wilborn. The 2023 Downtown Parade of Lights Parade Marshall was local artist Harold Rittenberry, Jr.

The 2023 Downtown Athens Parade of Lights award winners are:

• Clarke County School District Early Head Start Home Based Program - Mayor’s Award - Best Overall Float
• Akademia Brewing Company - Best Use of Theme - Corporate / Business
• Live Wire Athens - Best Use of Lights - Corporate / Business
• Epting Events - Most Original - Corporate / Business
• Eastern Piedmont Beekeepers Association - Best Use of Theme - Club / Church / Nonprofit
• Oconee Therapeutic Riding - Best Use of Lights - Club / Church / Nonprofit
• Boybutante AIDS Foundation, Inc. - Most Original - Club / church / Nonprofit
• Whit Davis Elementary School - Best Use of Theme - Government / School
• Double Helix STEAM School - Best Use of Lights - Government / School
• The University of Georgia - School of Art - Most Original - Government / School
• The Studio Athens - Best Performing Unit - Dance / Twirl / Step
• Clarke Central High School Marching Band - Best Performing Unit - Marching Bands / Military
• Oglethorpe Avenue Elementary School Cheer - Best Performing Unit - Novelty / Martial Arts

More information about the parade is available at www.accgov.com/parade.

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