Hundreds of people came out to watch the Greater Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade on Saturday.
A large crowd also attended the “Community Christmas at the Farm,” which followed the parade and was held at the Hillsboro R-3 School District’s Bridle Ridge Acres farm along Business 21, said chamber administrator Mandy Alley.
“It was a really good turnout,” Alley said. “The whole parade route was jammed with people. We had about 50 parade entries and 400 to 500 spectators. I think 2019 was a really big parade and this year’s was bigger.”
The chamber gave out awards to several groups or people who entered the parade, including the Jefferson County 4-H, which won the best overall parade entry award and a $100 cash prize.
Other winners included First State Community Bank for best float; High Stepz Dance Co. for best walking/marching unit; Scott and Karen Geary for best motorized unit; Show Me Antique Car Club for best vintage unit; Raintree Church for best religious entry; and Jefferson County 4-H for best dressed animal.
The school district’s activities at the farm kept the fun going after the parade, Alley said.
“I think we owe a lot of (the turnout) to the events we had after the parade,” she said. “We had pictures with Santa, and the line out of the barn was all the way to the parking lot.
“We had cookies and hot chocolate provided by Bank Star. We had s’mores provided by FFA (Future Farmer of America). FFA and agricultural students gave tours of the barn and introduced everybody to the animals. We had a tractor-lighting done by FFA kids – they decorated a tractor. We played music over speakers and had bonfires.”
Alley said attendees marveled at the Christmas decorations.
“The whole barn was lit up like a Christmas movie,” she said.