Local traditions warm the Swannanoa Valley for the holidays
Holly Jolly and Black Mountain Christmas Parade to bring community together in the wake of a disaster
Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
November 14, 2024
The 2024 Black Mountain Christmas Parade will take place at 4 p.m., Dec. 7, through downtown. Photo by Fred McCormick
For many, the holiday season is an occasion to celebrate with music, food, gifts and merrymaking, while others find comfort in quiet reflection in the waning days of the year.
When a pair of local traditions return, beginning with Holly Jolly at 5 p.m., Friday, Dec. 6, followed by the Black Mountain Christmas Parade, at 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, organizers are bringing the Swannanoa Valley together to honor lives lost in a devastating natural disaster while commemorating the resilience of the community.
Hosted annually by the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber of Commerce, the feasibility of both events, which have marked the start of the holiday season for decades, was in doubt after Tropical Storm Helene took the lives of local residents, displaced thousands and destroyed critical infrastructure. But, as chamber member and Holly Jolly Committee Chairperson Kannah Leigh Begley Walker suspended planning operations for three weeks, following the storm, she turned to her childhood memories of growing up in Black Mountain.
“Everything was completely on schedule before the storm, but, out of respect for everyone, I just decided to put everything on hold,” said the chief information security officer for Black Mountain Savings Bank. “I just kept thinking about memories of going to Holly Jolly as a kid, and for me, it has always been a special way to kick off the holiday season. The more I thought about it, and talked to other people, the more I knew this is something our valley needs.”
Begley Walker and the seven other members of the committee began to envision an event that pays tribute to those impacted by the tragedy and the first responders who risked their lives in rescue and recover efforts.
“After a bunch of phone calls making sure everyone was onboard, we totally revamped it,” Begley Walker said. “We decided to keep everything we were already planning, but we wanted it to have a different feeling this year.”
A 16-foot Christmas tree, donated by Sugar Mountain Nursery in Newland, will be placed in the Black Mountain Town Square to memorialize area residents who lost their lives in the storm.
“We plan to have a table nearby, where people can write the names of lives lost, before we hang the bells on the tree,” Begley Walker said. “Obviously, the holidays can be hard for people who have experienced loss, so this is a way for the community to come together and support each other during a difficult time.”
Santa Claus will light the tree at 5:45 p.m., followed by a reading of “The Night Before Christmas” by Black Mountain Town Manager Josh Harrold, Public Works Director Jamey Matthews, Fire Chief John Coffey and Police Chief Steve Parker. The group will also serve as the grand marshals of the Black Mountain Christmas Parade.
Swannanoa Valley native Ryan Perry will perform in Black Mountain Town Square, Dec. 6, as Holly Jolly returns to downtown. The annual tradition will honor those lost to Tropical Storm Helene and recognize the first responders who led rescue efforts during the natural disaster. Photo by Fred McCormick
At 6 p.m., led by the Owen High School Warhorse Regiment Marching Band, first responders from Swannanoa, Garren Creek, Broad River, Montreat and Black Mountain will escort Santa from the town square to the Old Depot.
“We encourage local families and children to make signs they can hold up to thank our first responders for everything they’ve done these past few weeks,” Begley Walker said.
Volunteers will provide hot meals in the Town Square parking lot, beginning at 4 p.m., while the unincorporated Lincoln County community of Denver will supply area children with toys on Sutton Avenue.
“All of our families have gone through so much, and everyone’s life has been turned upside down,” Begley Walker said. “Toys for kids has been on our hearts, so Denver is working to provide trailers with toys for 2,000 children at the Old Depot.”
Owen district schools, including W.D. Williams, Black Mountain Primary, Black Mountain Elementary, Owen Middle and High, will also participate in the event, according to organizers
“With my mom’s and dad’s experience in the school system, for many years, getting them involved has always been heavy on my heart,” Begley Walker said. “Students from the schools will be in the Town Square parking lot this year with ornaments, wrapped books for children and treats like milk and cookies. It’s going to be great having all of them out there.”
Holly Jolly will also fulfill one of its primary purposes by bringing customers to support local businesses struggling in the aftermath of the storm.
“For as long as I can remember, this event has given our downtown businesses a boost before winter,” Begley Walker said. “It brings visitors to town for the holidays, which is something we haven’t really had these last few weeks. So, we encourage everyone to support them in any way they can.”
The event will feature a 7 p.m. concert by Swannanoa Valley native Ryan Perry, whose 2022 single “My Hometown” paid homage to the community. Perry, who released his latest album — “Unapologetic” — last September, is performing as a gift to the community, according to Begley Walker.
The Black Mountain Christmas Parade is one of several local traditions returning to the Swannanoa Valley on the first weekend of December. Photo by Fred McCormick
“Ryan loves the Swannanoa Valley and he wanted to come back and do anything he could,” she said.
While Holly Jolly will offer a blend of traditions and adaptations, the Black Mountain Christmas Parade will draw upon its small town charm and nostalgia to restore a sense of “normalcy,” said organizer Sara McGee.
“After the storm, we weren’t sure the parade would happen, because we didn’t want to divert resources that might be needed at the time,” she said. “Asheville cancelled their parade, and we didn’t fully decide we were going to do it until our chamber of commerce board met.”
The group decided having the parade, which debuted in the 1970s, was the right thing to do for the community. The procession, which travels east to west on State Street, begins at Flat Creek Road and end at Cragmont Road.
“Since we announced we were hosting it, we’ve had an overwhelmingly supportive response,” McGee said. “It seems like people are happy to have some normalcy, tradition and a little bit of cheer, in what’s been an otherwise difficult time.”
Registration for the parade is free this year, and a link can be found on the Black Mountain Swannanoa Chamber Facebook page. The theme of the event, which will recognize the Town of Black Mountain’s manager, public works director and chief public safety officers, is Winter Wonderland.
The parade borrows the theme from Deck the Trees, an annual fundraiser supporting the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. The display, which will feature a record 25 Christmas trees in the Monte Vista Hotel and 25 at businesses throughout the community, will open Thursday, Dec. 5.
Deck the Trees, returns for its 13th year with a “Winter Wonderland” theme, Dec. 6. The annual fundraiser has donated more than $250,000 to the Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministry Fuel Fund. Photo by Fred McCormick
As it returns for its 13th year, Deck the Trees has raised more than $250,000 to support area residents with heating assistance.
“This year we have more trees than any other year,” Deck the Trees Committee Chair Libba Fairleigh said. “People have responded amazingly well, because so many people want to do something for the community.”
The weekend of festivities allows the Swannanoa Valley to rally together after an unimaginable fall, according to Begley Walker.
“These are huge events for this community, and a lot of this weekend is about bringing people back to downtown and into our local businesses,” she said. “This year, however, it feels important to bring this community together for a chance to slip away from the pain.”