The Laurens Lights along the Little River are back this Christmas Season. To kick off the event this year, Main Street Laurens is holding a “Light the Town” Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:30 this afternoon on the grounds of the Historic County Courthouse.
Lights on the tree are in memory of or in honor of Veterans and currently active military personnel.
Rosalind Burke, Office Manager for the Laurens County Veterans Affairs Office said the Hall of Heroes Committee developed the idea four years ago as a way of raising funds to support the annual Hall of Heroes Program. “And what they come up with was to sell a light for $5 in honor or memory of a veteran or active service member. So that’s where it came from. We have 1200 lights on the tree this year.”
Ms. Burke said that last-minute additions of names for lights to be in honor of will be accepted at the Veterans Affairs Office today, with checks made payable to the Laurens County Hall of Heroes. The Tree Lighting Ceremony at 5:30 this afternoon will include naming of the veterans being honored. “We’re having Barbra Livingston and General Livingston, and Mark Willis, Representative Mark Willis will be here and they will be helping us with the names being honored and in memory.”
Folks are invited to arrive before 5:30 to enjoy Hot Chocolate or Coffee before the ceremony. After the Tree Lighting Ceremony, Main Street Laurens presents the Tinsel Tram with tours of the Laurens Lights from 5:30 until 9pm. Tickets are $4 a person and kids 2 and under go for free.
Tomorrow’s local Christmas Parade Schedule has Clinton’s Parade at 10 am, the Whitten Center Parade at 1 pm, Gray Court at 2 o’clock and the Laurens Parade at 5pm.