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From Margie Brooks

When Hyde County Sheriff Guire Cahoon leads off the parade in the county seat of Swan Quarter during the 7th annual Christmas in the Quarter festivities on Dec. 3, he will have over forty other parade entries lined up behind his car.

The parade is just one part of the activities taking place in this rural North Carolina village that day. In addition to the parade, there will be shopping opportunities, children’s activities, food, seasonal music, and fellowship.

The fun begins at 3:00 p.m. and will last until about 8:00 p.m. The location is in and around the Hyde County Government Center, 30 Oyster Creek Road, and at the Swan Quarter Volunteer Fire Department (SQVFD) which is right across the street.

The parade entries include floats, cars, pedestrians, golf carts, and even horses and their riders. Santa Claus will arrive riding atop one the SQVFD’s trucks at the end of the parade.

Parade participants should go directly to 146 Academy Street (the old school bus garage site) and must be in line by 4:00 p.m. Parade participants should come into the village from US 264 on the eastern end of the village via NC 94 South (which is also Main Street) and then turn right on Academy Street when they get into the heart of the village.
Personnel will be on hand to direct traffic and provide instructions for the participants.

At least thirty arts and craft vendors are expected to showcase and sell a variety of hand crafted and home-made wares. They will be spread out in the ground floor open-air garage under the Hyde County Government Center and in the greenway in front of the Center.

A number of organizations will offer plenty of children’s activities from making reindeer food, writing letters to Santa, face painting, decorating ornaments and a tree, to a bicycle helmet give-a-way.

The Quarter Deli will be on site with hot soup and other treats. The SQVFD will serve hot dogs and hot chocolate and will also offer hot funnel cakes along with soft drinks and water.

Event organizers point out that this is a family-friendly event. Times on the below schedule are approximate.

Children’s Activities: 3:00-7:30 p.m. (with a break when the parade is going on)

Vendor Sales : 4:00—8:00 p.m. (with a break when the parade is going on)

Parade: 4:30-5:30 p.m.

Visits/Photo Ops with Santa: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

SQVFD Funnel Cake Sales: 3:00-4:00 p.m. and again from 5:30-7:30 p.m.)

SQVFD Hot Dogs/Hot Chocolate: 5:30-7:30 p.m.

The public is invited to begin their holiday season with this family-friendly event! For other planned activities in other Hyde County communities, visit and follow The Swan Quarterly on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SwanQuarterly.