SALISBURY — It may be a bit early to start thinking about Christmas, but reserved seating for the annual ‘Tis the Season Spectacular will go live on the website Tuesday, and when seats are gone, they’re gone.

Reserved seating and sponsorship information will both be available on the parade’s website www.tistheseasonspectacular.com, on Sept. 3 as well as a downtown parking map. Lineup instructions will be added to the website as the plan is finalized. Food Lion is returning as presenting sponsor, and in addition to the previous participants, 11 new sponsors have signed on.

The parade will begin at the intersection of Kerr and Main streets and end at Military Street. The Spectacular at the Park celebration will follow the parade at Bell Tower Green Park with Santa Claus, street performers, food trucks and live music by The Tonez. The annual tree lighting will take place at 6:15 p.m. The George Kluttz family is donating the 2024 Bell Tower Green tree.

The ‘Tis the Season Spectacular is open to entries from all belief systems and welcomes a diversity of ideas that portrays the goodwill associated with the holiday season. 

Henrietta Henderlite and Shari Graham, parade organizers, both said the fact that the parade is representative of the entire community is essential to them both. And the fact that the “community trusts us to do this is a privilege and an honor,” said Graham.

“To have everyone come together under a tree, you can’t get much more Hallmark than that,” added Henderlite.

“If you can get 10,000 people to stop talking and watch a tree being lit, you’re doing something good,” Graham said.

“We would love for people to come kick off the holiday season with Rowan County,” added Tammy Pinkston, another instrumental committee member and organizer.

The committee is proud to announce that the grand marshals are the Paul and Sue Fisher family. 

“We are excited to celebrate the accomplishments and support of our community this family has graciously given to our citizens,” said committee members. In addition, several favorite entries, such as Ed’s Dinosaurs and the Cross Creek Bagpipers, are returning, along with many others. The committee is working on several new surprises to excite parade spectators. 

In addition, thanks go to Meredyth McDaniel, Jimmy Green, Salisbury Civitans, Ashley Currin, Fire and Rescue, Salisbury Police Department, Evelyn Medina, Public Works, Miller Davis, Venue Services, Virtual Sounds, and Rowan Tourism.

“All systems are go for another year,” said Pinkston.