Roland Gearing Up for the Holidays

The town of Roland is getting in the holiday spirit with its annual Christmas tree lighting and parade set for mid-December.

The tree-lighting ceremony will be from 6-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 12, at the City Park.

The annual parade theme is “Old Time Christmas” and is scheduled from noon to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14. Both events will be hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

The parade will have eight classes for float, band, choir, truck, horseback, four-wheeler, tractor and antique cars. 

The chamber is offering cash prizes in three categories -- nonprofits, antique cars and open. The first-place winner in each category will receive $100, second place will receive $75, and $50 for third place.

Parade staging will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14, at Roland High School. The parade will head south on Roland Road, ending at the Roland Hills Shopping Center.

Niki Morgan with the Roland Area Chamber of Commerce said Tuesday that organizers in Roland, Muldrow and Sallisaw are team up each year to offer their holiday parades on the same day. The schedule will allow people to start their day at the Roland parade, head to Muldrow’s parade and end the day with the Christmas parade in Sallisaw, she said.

“Every year we are trying to grow and grow and grow and get the community more involved in both events,” Morgan said of the Roland events.

Organizers are still seeking entrants for the Roland parade. Entries may include church and civic groups, horse and motorsport enthusiasts, businesses, teams and bands and more. 

Every community member is invited to celebrate the spirit of Christmas!

There will be plenty of cookies, hot chocolate available and the Roland school choir will provide entertainment. Crafts and food will also be available, but the parade would not be complete without a special appearance by Santa Claus himself!

To register for the Roland parade, go to the chamber’s website or Facebook page. You can also email or call Roland Firstar Bank. All entries are welcome, providing they are family and community friendly.

Participation in the parade is free but registration is required. Entry deadline is Wednesday, Dec. 11. Late entries may not be allowed to participate.

In case of inclement weather, the chamber will determine by 8 a.m. whether the parade will be held Dec. 14 or be rescheduled, Morgan said.

At the tree-lighting, the chamber has brought in 20 Christmas trees that businesses can sponsor for $50 each for a decorating contest. The community will be able to vote on their favorite tree by placing boxed food items under the tree. The tree with the most boxed items wins a traveling trophy to keep for a year, newspaper ad space, an office party and more.

Laura Brown, KXMX Staff Writer

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