Robbinsville – Clear your schedule this Saturday for the Robbinsville Christmas Extravaganza and Christmas Parade, a full day of events celebrating the Christmas season in Robbinsville. The Christmas Extravaganza will be at Robbinsville High School and includes more than 20 vendors, as well as entertainment – and of course Santa Claus, cookies and milk, student crafts and homemade ornaments. It runs from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
From 10 a.m. – 2 p.m., the fourth annual Cookie Crawl will have ticket-holders making their way through the town on a quest for cookies, to raise funds for the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program. A dozen businesses will be distributing cookies at their physical addresses, with another seven located at the high school during the Christmas Extravaganza.
Tickets for the Cookie Crawl event are sold out. Ticket holders can stop at the Graham County Schools’ Food Truck in front of the school on Tuesday to vote for the best cookie, as well as choose from a hot chocolate drink bar.
The parade will take place on the usual parade route through town and begins at 6 p.m.
The Robbinsville Tourism Authority confirmed the schedule at its Nov. 29 meeting.
Also taking place at 6 p.m. Saturday is the annual Robbinsville Christmas Parade, which will follow the usual loop. Activities thereafter include a pair of live nativities at Old Mother Church until 8 p.m. Saturday; and one at Robbinsville United Methodist Church on Sunday, beginning at 5 p.m.
Other news and notes
* The authority has high hopes that a possible event for Robbinsville that could become the next big thing for the town.
Rusty Taylor approached the town about holding an event centered on cigar-box guitars – handmade guitars that use old cigar boxes for the guitar body. The town is looking at June 10, 2023, for the event with tie-ins to other regular events such as Music on the Square.
The Robbinsville Tourism Authority is looking at spending up to $25,000 to cover the expenses.
“This could be big and grow,” said Robbinsville Tourism Authority chairman and director Debbie Beasley.
She said Robbinsville could become known for it if it becomes an annual event.
The authority will reach back to Taylor for a formal proposal and invite Graham County Travel & Tourism to participate.
Board member Brady Cody said some high-end cigar box guitar performers have strong followings.
To learn more about cigar-box guitars, visit Taylor’s Facebook page, Second Hand Smoke Guitars.
* The authority is looking at March 29, 2023 – Vietnam Veterans Day – to dedicate the co-naming of East Main Street with the added name, Veterans Memorial Hill. Most of the moving parts were settled by earlier this month, but timing the event with Veterans Day on Nov. 11 was not possible.
* Lace, Grace and Gears – a community of female motorcyclists who support woman veterans – reached out to the authority about making Robbinsville and Graham County its destination in September 2023. The event could draw up to 400 members, while its Facebook page (@lacegraceandgears) has more than 13,000 followers.
Beasley said the group normally visits Arizona, but is looking at Robbinsville in 2023 to help raise funds for women veterans – particularly homeless women veterans.
Beasley said the group is hoping to have a parade in Robbinsville during the event, which she hopes could become an annual thing.
“They will tell more people about their experience in Robbinsville,” she said.
The authority will be developing a pin or badge to give to members, once plans are completed to develop a logo.