The Bluffton Christmas Parade is not over until Santa shows up on a fire truck. TONY KUKULICH

The 51st annual Bluffton Christmas Parade, hosted by the Town of Bluffton, will step off at 10 a.m. Dec. 3 at Town Hall, proceeding through Old Town and ending at Red Cedar Elementary School.

On Dec. 2, Bluffton’s Tree Lighting ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. at Martin Family Park, followed by Santa’s Workshop at DuBois Park’s Pavilion. A screening of “The Grinch” will begin at 6:30 p.m. at Martin Family Park. Attendees should bring blankets or chairs for seating.

“The Town’s Christmas tree lighting, Santa’s workshop and movie night is the official kickoff to the holiday season, followed by the Bluffton Christmas Parade the next morning,” said Mayor Lisa Sulka. “It is Bluffton’s way to usher in the holiday season complete with lights, music and getting together with your neighbors.”

Known in some circles as the nation’s most eccentric Christmas parade, the event has been a part of Bluffton tradition for more than five decades. Due to the community’s growth, public and personal safety remains the event’s most important priority. New rules, detailed in the Christmas Parade application, will be enforced to ensure safety for all.

Highlights of new rules are:

• Parade entries will be considered on a first come, first serve basis, with a limit of 125 entries for the 2022 parade. It is advised to submit applications as soon as it is completed.

• The town is asking parade entrants to give a donation to the Bluffton Lutzie 43 Charitable Fund, in lieu of a parade entry fee. Donations will help fund scholarships for Bluffton’s students as well as support the town’s safe driving campaign, to reduce/eliminate vehicle causalities and fatalities in our town.

• Throwing of candy or any item from parade vehicle or float is prohibited. Participants are allowed to walk alongside their parade entry and distribute items to crowd hand-to-hand to the spectators. 

• Spectators will not be allowed to run into the streets to grab items.

• Applications are due Nov. 11. To apply, visit townofbluffton/sc/gov and click on Residents, and 2022 Christmas Parade. Hard copies of the application are available at the front desk at Town Hall, 20 Bridge St. 

For more information, and to send completed applications, email Lyndee Simoneaux, special events manager at tobchristmasparade@townofbluffton.com.

The event will only be canceled if the Town of Bluffton deems weather conditions as unsafe.