COVINGTON, Ga. — Residents of Newton County continued to ring in the Christmas season with the help of the Lions Club on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The club hosted its annual Christmas parade over the weekend in a reverse format. Rather than the approximately 35 entrants including several floats and high school bands rolling through the Covington Downtown area, it remained stationary along Newton Drive, between Mill Street and Anderson Avenue, and adjacent to the YMCA and Legion Field. 

Despite the change of format, more than 100 vehicles and golf carts filled with spectators chose to drive by and view the parade. Few opted to walk.

Among the parade entrants were Newton County’s high school bands, Jeep enthusiasts, the Covington Fire Department, local churches and Santa Claus.

The parade started at 6 p.m. and ended around 7:30 p.m.

The Lions Club has hosted the parade since 2005 but chose to do things differently this year in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizer and club member Missy Braden told The Covington News.

Porterdale will host its Christmas parade this weekend, Saturday, Dec. 12, at 7 p.m. Instead of the regular route along Main Street, parade participants will move through city neighborhoods, working its way along parts of Ivy, Hemlock, Main, Poplar, Elm and Crowell roads and Austin Terrace. In response to the pandemic, the city encouraged residents to stay home and let the parade come to them.