KYLE MURPHYStaff Writer

Get ready to kick off the holiday season with some planes, trains and candy canes as the 68^th annual Tullahoma Christmas Parade is set for this Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m.

The 68th Tullahoma Christmas Parade, sponsored by Stan McNabb Automotive, will take place this Fri, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. The parade will take to the streets of downtown Tullahoma and will feature floats from various local businesses, schools, organizations, sporting teams and so on.

According to Jason Kennedy, Deputy Chief of the Tullahoma Police Department, South Jackson Street from Lincoln Street to East Carroll Street will be blocked off shut down starting at 5 p.m. There will be no through traffic on North and South Jackson until the end of the parade.

“Just give yourself time to where you need to be,” Kennedy said.

Parade goers will need to know that the route for the parade has gone back to the original route, where the lining up, and lining up will start at the chamber of commerce office to South Jackson Performing Arts Center, and end at Tullahoma High School. According to Trent McNabb, member of the Christmas Parade committee, the reason for the change to the route was due to safety and logistics.

Another change to the parade this year will be its siren free/silent section for anyone who has sensitivities to noises. According to TACC Executive Director Hope Nunley, the silent section will be set up from Walgreens, located at 700 N. Jackson St., to Tullahoma High School. She said Tullahoma Police Chief Chase Sons made the recommendation to the chamber after the Christmas Parade last year when the chamber was asking for feedback from community partners.

This year’s parade theme is “Planes, Trains and Candy Canes.” It was submitted by Robert E. Lee Elementary student Kyle Obersteadt who won the district-wide theme competition. For submitting the winning theme, Robert E. Lee Elementary will also receive a free float entry into the parade.

The 68th annual Tullahoma Christmas Parade will take to the streets of downtown Tullahoma Friday, Dec. 6, at 7 p.m. The chamber will hold the 2024 Grand Marshal Reception on Thursday, Dec. 5, at South Jackson Performing Arts Center at 5:30 p.m. Also taking place Thursday night will be the annual lighting of the Tullahoma Christmas Tree.