The streets of downtown Valdosta came alive with holiday cheer on Saturday, December 7, as the 2024 Greater Valdosta Christmas Parade kicked off. With about 90 floats participating, the event, centered around the theme "Christmas in Georgia," brought the community together to celebrate the holiday season in festive style. 

This year’s parade marked a milestone for Ossipe Temple #65. A passing of the torch to a new leading organization will take place in January, with further details to come. 

"This truly is one of the most wonderful times of the year in Downtown Valdosta. The Annual Christmas Parade brings families and friends to the heart of our beautiful city and connects them to our retail shops and eateries. Our heartfelt gratitude to the Ossipe Temple #65 and our favorite Parade Marshal and chair Bob Cosby for 25 amazing years of service and dedication to this parade," said Kym Hughes, of Valdosta Main Street. 

We also want to thank Big L from Hot 102.7 – Valdosta's Hit Music Channel – for emceeing the parade and keeping the crowd entertained throughout the evening. A huge shout out and special thank you to Moody Air Force Base for their valuable assistance in making the parade a success. 

Many spectators enjoyed the festivities in person, while the live stream on the City of Valdosta’s Facebook reached an impressive 38,500 views on the night of the event. Special thanks go to Valdosta State University Professors Jonmichael Seibert and Jarriod Johnson and their talented student production team—John Harris, Hailey Segura-Ayala, Winter Daube, Wyndham Drayton, and Victor Aviles—for recording and producing a high-quality video of the parade which will be available soon online. 

The excitement doesn’t stop here! Parade float winners will be announced at the first regularly scheduled Valdosta City Council meeting on Thursday, January 9, 2025.