On December 5th, 2021, the North Augusta Lions Club celebrated the 40th Annual North Augusta Christmas Parade down Georgia Avenue. Themed as “A Disney Christmas,” floats from different organizations, such as the North Augusta High School’s National Art Honor Society, cruised down Georgia Avenue, showing off their craftsmanship and creativity.
Meredith Noland, one of the three heads of the NAHS National Art Honor Society, was “thrilled to hear that they would keep the same theme,” after missing the parade last year due to COVID-19 precautions.
“This means a lot to the kids because they have done so much work, spent hours working on this [float] and poured their heart and soul into it,” Noland says.
The three art teachers in charge of the NAHS National Art Honor Society are Meredith Noland, Rachel Polvadore, and Savannah Ditty. Noland states they “oversee and direct the creation of [the float], but the students at NAHS do the bulk of the work.”
The NAHS National Art Honor Society has been involved in the North Augusta Christmas Parade since 2014, and under the direction of Rachel Polvadore, won first prize for the best float in 2019, and secured second place for their "Nightmare Before Christmas"-themed float this year.
The students of the NAHS National Art Honor Society work very hard each year to ensure their float is of the highest quality. Polvadore believes that “it’s really important for them to learn to work together and become a part of the community of North Augusta, and that the parade helps them to accomplish that.”
Many citizens of North Augusta also enjoy attending parade parties, which are held on Georgia Avenue. One such attendee of these events is Sarah Veraldi, a citizen of North Augusta who has watched the Christmas Parade for fifteen years.
She states, “in the last ten years we have attended a fun gathering with friends and family, bringing my famous meatballs or banana bread. We enjoy a plethora of goodies brought by all to share.”
It’s undeniably a victory to see that with COVID-19 regulations being lightened and people doing more to help their community, traditions such as the North Augusta Christmas Parade can be reinstated, and more people can continue to embrace the holiday festivities offered in North Augusta.
North Augusta High School's Christmas parade float.
Photo Credit: Emma Carter
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