This year’s Clemson Christmas Parade will be held in Tuesday, Dec. 3. Sponsored by the City of Clemson’s Parks and recreation Department, this time-honored tradition is sure to attract crowds and will impact area roads and transit. Here’s what you need to know:
Those leaving campus after 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 3 — and those coming to campus for evening classes and activities — should plan their routes carefully to avoid delays and street closures. Event activities will begin at 5 p.m. with caroling and the lighting of the tree in front of the Planning and Codes Administration office at 365 College Avenue.
The parade will begin at 6 p.m. on S.C. Highway 93 (Hwy. 93) at Bowman Field. The parade route will span north on College Avenue, ending at Strode Circle.
Barricades will go up at 4:45 p.m. in the following locations:
- Hwy. 93 closed between Cherry Road (at the President’s Home) and College Avenue (at Subway)
- College Avenue closed between Hwy. 93 and Keith Street
- Hwy. 93 closed between College Avenue and Williamson Road
The traffic arm on Calhoun Drive, at Brackett Hall, will remain activated until after the parade to deter motorists from traveling toward barricaded areas.
Those parked in the Sikes Hall area will be directed to exit via Parkway Drive onto Cherry Road, at the President’s Home.
Once the parade begins, access will be blocked between College Avenue and all sides streets, including North Clemson Avenue, Sloan Street and Keith Street.
All barricades will remain in place until the conclusion of the parade around 7 p.m.
Officers from Clemson University and the City of Clemson police departments will oversee the barricades and direct traffic to provide a safe environment for parade participants and viewers — many of them children — to assemble for this annual holiday event.
For more information, contact the City of Clemson Parks and Recreation Department at 864-624-1120.
CAT Red Route detour during the Dec. 3 parade
During the City of Clemson Christmas Parade, the Clemson Area Transit Red Route will make the following detours between 4:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. to avoid College Avenue, between Hwy. 93 and Keith Street.
- The Red to Central bus – Will travel its normal route until the intersection of College Avenue & Hwy. 123. At this point, it will deviate onto Hwy. 123 (Bypassing downtown Clemson & Sikes Hall), then continuing onto Clemson University by way of Hwy. 76 & Hwy. 93. CAT will NOT pick-up at Bryan Circle (on Cherry Road). The route will pick-up in front of the Hendrix Center on McMillan Road.
- The Red to Clemson bus – Will travel its normal route from Central to Clemson University. At this point, the bus will deviate: CAT will NOT pick-up at Bryan Circle (on Cherry Road). The route will pick-up in front of the Hendrix Center on McMillan Road. It will then depart back out McMillan to Newman & onto Hwy. 93 (Bypassing Sikes Hall & downtown Clemson) to Hwy. 76 & onto Hwy. 123. The route will resume its normal schedule/route at the intersection of College Avenue and Hwy. 123.
Visit CAT on Facebook or call 864-656-2287 for more information about CAT routes and detours.
