Pittsboro cancels its Christmas parade, as forecast calls for rough weather Sunday
Sunday’s ominous weather forecast has prompted the Town of Pittsboro to cancel its Christmas parade.
Town officials say the risk of heavy rain and winds topping 30 mph led them to decide Friday to scrub the parade. They made the decision after consulting with the police and fire departments, according to a statement.
“This was a difficult decision, but the safety of our parade participants, spectators, and town staff is of utmost importance,” the statement said. “Unfortunately, we cannot reschedule this year’s parade due to logistical challenges.”
People and organizations that paid fees to take part in the parade will get their money back.
Town officials said Wednesday that they expected to hold the parade regardless of the weather and would cancel only if it appeared unsafe conditions were likely. The parade was to kick off at 3 p.m., about the time a powerful cold front is expected to bring heavy rain and gusty winds to the area.
The cold front will likely come through in two waves, says Don Schwenneker, the chief meteorologist for ABC11, The News & Observer’s reporting partner. The first punch should arrive early Sunday, with heavy rain and wind potentially gusting to 50 mph.
“We could pick up an inch of rain on Sunday, which lately is a lot for us,” Schwenneker said. “With all the leaves down, if we get runoff from a heavy rainfall, those leaves clog the storm drains, and we do see localized flooding show up in places that don’t always see it.”
Schwennecker said the storm’s second line will come through just about the scheduled time of the parade. How bad conditions get then will depend on how much energy remains in the atmosphere after the first round, he said.
If your plans Saturday include a Christmas parade or other outdoor activity, weather won’t be a concern. Southerly winds will bring increasing clouds and push temperatures to about 70 degrees Saturday, before the cold air begins to arrive Sunday. The low Tuesday morning will be back down in the 20s.
Meanwhile, Pittsboro hopes to create an alternative to its parade this year. The town is organizing a “virtual parade,” where participants can send in photos of themselves and their floats and decorations that the town can post on social media.
Parade participants can send their photos via email to parksandrec@pittsboronc.gov by Monday, Dec. 11.
This story was originally published December 8, 2023 at 12:45 PM.
