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Students in Northwest Community College’s cosmetology program ride on a float in the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

Bubbles are blown from the top of a sliding board on the Shockwave float in the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

“Jack in the Box” rides in the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

Santa and Mrs. Claus ride in the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

The Oxford-Lafayette Chamber of Commerce float featuring the Grinch rolls through the Square during the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

Sonya Short waves to the crowd on the Communicare float in the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

The North Mississippi Regional Center float rolls through the Square during the Christmas Parade in Oxford, Miss., Monday, Dec. 6, 2021. (©Bruce Newman)

The city of Oxford came rang in the holiday season with the annual Christmas Parade on Monday night.

“If you missed the most wonderful Christmas parade [Monday] night then I am sorry for you,” said Mayor Robyn Tannehill during a regular Board of Alderman meeting. “It was absolutely our best parade ever.”

The parade started at 5th Street and University Avenue from the Gertrude C. Ford Center, made it’s way around the historic downtown Square and concluded on Price Street.

This year’s theme was “Christmas Joy” and all entries are encouraged to play Christmas-themed music.

Residents witnessed floats from organizations like the Shockwave Aquatics Team, Oxford Dance Academy and Northwest Community College’s cosmetology program, performances from Lafayette County Schools and Oxford Schools marching bands and appearances from Oxford Police Department, pageant winners and more.

At the Board of Alderman meeting, it was announced that the Shockwave Aquatics Team won the float competition. There float featured a slide and a working hot tub machine.

Tannehill said the Christmas Parade would not have not been possible if it weren’t for the participation and good work of the many businesses and organizations in the community who spent time organizing and preparing floats.

“A huge thank you to the North Mississippi Board of Realtors specifically Linda Allgood who is the director of that group and all of the many volunteers who volunteered– and there were a lot of volunteers,” said Tannehill. “The MVP awards go, as they always do, to Jimmy Allgood, Ashley Atkinson and Lisa Chandler who without those three we would not have had the past 20 Christmas parades.”

It was heartwarming to watching the parade procession go by and see how many city employees were actually involved, she said.

“Thank you to all the city employees who stepped up to make sure our city parade was a success,” said Tannehill.

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