The Cocke County Partnership/ Chamber of Commerce announced that applications are now available at the Chamber office for the annual Christmas Parade. The parade will take place on Saturday, Nov. 28.

This year's theme for the parade is 75th Anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1930's Smoky Mountain Christmas. The GSMNP Service and those folks who were born in the Park will be the Grand Marshalls this year.

Decorations should be 1930's Smoky Mountain Christmas.

Parade staging will begin at 11 a.m. at the Cocke County High School Parking lots. The parade will promptly start at 2 p.m. turning onto West Broadway and continue East through downtown Newport and finishing at Lincoln Ave. Baptist Church.

Rewards will be given for 1st 2nd 3rd School Division, 1st 2nd 3rd Commercial Division, 1st 2nd 3rd Non Profit Division.

This highly anticipated tradition will kick off the Christmas holiday season in Cocke County. During the parade you will see a showcase of bands, floats, marching units, antique cars and tractors, children's groups, commercial units and clubs and organizations within the County. Expect the Shrine Club to again entertain the crowds with their vehicles.

Registration is a minimal fee and all net proceeds will go to the Education Foundation for Cocke County 7th and 8th grade student's trip to Walters State to experience college for the first time. Applications are available at the Chamber office in the Newport Community Center. As in the past, First Baptist Church in downtown Newport will broadcast the parade, live, on cable. For those not able to attend they will rebroadcast the parade later in the day for participants' viewing. In addition, the church will sell videotape/DVD copies of the parade. To purchase copies of the parade please call First Baptist Church at (423) 623-3034.

The deadline for registration was Nov. 16, 2009. All registrations after this date will be included at the end of the parade but will not be printed in the publicized line up.

"This year's parade promises to be the biggest and brightest yet," said the Partnership's Kandee Veridal", and we hope everyone can join us. Whether you plan to be in the parade or view the wonderful floats with your favorite scenes of Christmas pass by, we are looking forward to seeing you!

Cline Floats are available for rental for a fee.

For more information please contact the Chamber office at 623-7201.