Romans ushered in the 2020 holiday season – from a safe social distance – at the drive-in edition of the Rome Christmas Parade on Tuesday evening in the parking lot of State Mutual Stadium, home of the Rome Braves. Officers with the Rome Police Department have estimated that between 6,000 to 7,000 cars drove through the parade.
Janet Byington, co-chair, says that the goal of the parade was to wish Romans a Merry Christmas and to honor all healthcare workers, first responders, and others that have kept the community safe amid the coronavirus pandemic; the theme for this year was “Heroes of 2020”.
This was the first time for the parade to be held at State Mutual Stadium, as opposed to the usual location of downtown Rome. Byington referred to it as a “Miracle on Braves Boulevard” and expressed gratitude towards those who helped make it happen.
The winners in the 2020 Rome Christmas Parade included the following:
Adult 1st place – Redmond Regional Medical Center
Adult 2nd place – Waffle House
Children’s 1st place – Tumble Time
Children’s 2nd place – Dawn’s Diamond Twirlers of Rome