By Special to the NewsNews release courtesy of Chipley Christmas Fest
The holiday season is upon us and the Chipley Christmas Fest is excited to be able to offer our full slate of beloved activities this year.
This year’s schedule of events is presented by Tobacco Free Florida, Community South Credit Union, Chipley Physical & Aquatic Therapy, and Florida Power & Light and activities will kick off on our traditional festival day – Friday, December 1, 2023.
Our annual Christmas Parade will begin at 5:30 p.m. (line-up is at 4:30 p.m. at the old Chipley High School track on North Railroad Avenue). This year’s parade contest will be sponsored and judged for trophies, cash prizes, and bragging rights by Northwest Florida Community Hospital!
Remember: no throwing of candy is Permitted! Judges will be positioned in the city parking courtesy of Absolute Towing. Parade applications may be obtained at the Washington County Chamber of Commerce (672 5th Street) or on the Chipley Christmas Fest & Parade Facebook page.
We will continue our tradition of the Kate M. Smith Elementary School 5th Grade Christmas Card Contest. Each 5th grade classroom will receive a half sheet of plywood, courtesy of Surplus & Salvage, to design a holiday card of their choosing. The cards will be critiqued by our chosen panel of judges on the afternoon of December 3rd and a winning classroom will be decided.
First place will receive a trophy and a pizza party for their classroom courtesy of Hungry Howie’s. Second and third place winners will receive trophies. The Christmas Cards will be auctioned off for local charities beginning on festival day, Dec. 1st, on the Christmas Fest Facebook page. All cards will be displayed at the Washington County Farmer’s Market Complex during the festival.
Free Santa photos courtesy of Sand Hills Santa and JC3 Photography will also be offered on the green of the Washington County Farmer’s Market Complex, December 1st from 3:30-4:30 p.m. for Sensory Photos inside the Washington County Historical Society and from 7-8 p.m. at the gazebo.
Parents will stop by the table located at the Bill Lee Depot for gazebo photos to pick up information on how to obtain their photos. Don’t forget to grab your hot chocolate or hot apple cider while you are there courtesy of Cooper Funeral Home.
Free popcorn that will be handed out by our local SWAT group’s mobile food unit while you wait for your Free train ride courtesy of Tobacco Free Florida. There will also be inflatables, a free petting zoo, pony rides, a mechanical bull ride, arts & craft activities and games for the kids courtesy of The Chipley Garden Club, Chipley Woman’s Club and Community South Credit Union, free cotton candy courtesy of Believe Martial Arts, free photo booth courtesy of the Washington County Public Library, great food, carolers, and live music courtesy of Louis & Nash Mercantile, The Ugly Mug Coffee & Café and Spanish Trail Playhouse, harp playing courtesy of Sage Brand Studio and a snow pit!
The Holiday Stroll will also be back again this year and we encourage our downtown merchants to celebrate the season. We will kick off this celebration of shopping local during the festival with downtown businesses staying open late and kicking off their holiday specials and gift card programs.
The Christmas Fest of Chipley encourages all residents of Washington County to support our locally-owned businesses this year by shopping locally for all your holiday gifts.
Additionally, there will be a second day of activities on Saturday, December 2, 2023 from 10-2 p.m. in downtown! Activities will include The Kiwanis Club Breakfast with Santa from 10-12 p.m., an expanded Downtown Holiday Stroll, inflatables, free petting zoo, pony rides, games, a snow pit, classic Christmas tunes playing, great food, and a variety of arts & craft vendors.
This year’s event will be spread from the Farmer’s Market Complex on 7th Street across Railroad Ave to 5th Street for both days. We hope you enjoy this expanded layout and all the festive activities we have planned!
KINSLEY COOK 
Staff Report