The Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the return of the Light Up The Night Hillsborough Holiday Parade on Sunday, December 4th, 2022 at 4:00 pm. Downtown Hillsborough will welcome thousands of residents and visitors to enjoy the popular annual event, as part of the Hillsborough Hometown Holidays Festival season.
The parade will feature dignitaries such as Mayor Jenn Weaver, and Town Board members, followed by bands, local and area businesses, cheerleaders and dance troupes, well-known mascots, and of course, Santa Claus. The parade will travel through downtown Hillsborough, south on Churton St from Corbin St to Margaret Lane, and end at the intersection of Margaret Lane & Cameron St.. Make plans to join us on the Old Courthouse Square for the annual tree lighting ceremony and community singing immediately following the parade.
Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out early to enjoy some holiday shopping and a bite to eat before the parade, as well as to secure parking and a favorite viewing spot.
Please follow this link for Parade Registration.
***Registration for the parade will close, November 1st at 5pm.***
Grand Marshal- Phil Ford
Phil Ford has been an invaluable member of the Carolina basketball family for over 47 years. As a point guard, Ford earned first-team All-America honors three times and was the 1978 National Player of the Year. Ford was an assistant coach at UNC for 12 seasons, he was a tireless instructor, motivator, and recruiter. Ford's name was synonymous with his enthusiastic attitude, and it is that quality which made him stand out from many assistant coaches. Ford was a part of six Final Four appearances, six NCAA Regional titles and five ACC Tournament titles. He coached 10 first-round draft picks, including 1998 National Player of the Year Antawn Jamison. Ford, Jamison, Michael Jordan, Tyler Hansbrough, are the only Tar Heel players to win the John Wooden Award as the nation's top player. Carolina is the only school to have four different players win the Wooden Award. Ford, a native of Rocky Mount, N.C., and a 1974 graduate of Rocky Mount High School, was a backcourt star on Carolina teams that won 99 of 124 games in his four years. Those teams went to the NCAA Tournament four times and advanced to the championship game in Ford's junior year. As a senior, Ford won the coveted Wooden Award. He was also named the National Player of the Year in 1978 by the United States Basketball Writers Association, the National Association of Basketball Coaches and The Sporting News.
Ford was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in May 1991.Although Ford has come a long way from his backyard basketball court in Rocky Mount where he learned to play the game in the late 1960s and early 1970s, it is evident that family is an important aspect in Ford's life. "I enjoy spending time with my children and grandchildren," says Ford. "You don't realize how lucky you are until you have a family of your own.". Today, Phil Ford spends his time speaking to different organizations and is on two boards. He enjoys reading and studying the bible and credits his relationship with Jesus Christ for where he is today.
