By NOAH WORTHAM | Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA – Main Street was filled with Christmas cheer as residents enjoyed holiday festivities at the annual Columbiana Christmas Festival and Parade.

“I think that everyone loved it,” Manager of Community and Fair services Ali Payne said. “The entire thing was just amazing. People just spent so much time getting all that ready and it was really, really special.”

The event began at 5 p.m. with food trucks, the opening of Winter Wonderland and the beginning of snow in Old Mill Square Park.

“It will snow in Old Mill Square Park every Friday night in December,” Payne said. “We’ve invested in some snow machines. They don’t blow real snow, it’s just bubbles, but it is pretty magical.”

At 6 p.m. the Shelby County Arts Council Holiday Artist Market opened and the Dream Makers Dancers performed at the Amphitheater at Old Mill Square Park. At 6:30 p.m. the Shelby County High School Show Choir, Paramount, sang on the Main Street stage.

A Christmas tree lighting was held at 6:50 p.m., and the parade officially began at 7 p.m.

“We do our parade at night, and it just brings some Christmas magic to town,” Payne said. “We had 74 floats and some horses. We had some pretty awesome floats. We had the Polar Express who won our float competition.”

Many of the businesses on Main Street stayed open for the event.

“Most of the downtown businesses stayed open and there were shoppers from 5 p.m. until the parade started, and that’s why we what we do,” Payne said. “Our merchants are special; our downtown businesses are special and we want to support them, and we want to bring people into Columbiana so they can experience all the wonderful shopping there is to do downtown.”

Payne also expressed her gratitude for those that helped make the event possible.

“The Columbiana Police Department, they make sure everybody gets in line,” Payne said. “They line everybody up and do all of the hard work as far as keeping people back out of the street. They are a huge help. And also, to Bruce Andrews and Ricky Ruston, who ran sound during the events Friday Night. We could not have done it without them.”

Payne said she is looking forward to the festivities that will be held next year.

“It already makes you excited about next year and about doing even more stuff next year, Payne said.”

Those who wish to keep up to date with events in the city of Columbiana may follow its Facebook page.