2022 Hatteras Village Christmas Parade a sunny & spirited event… WITH VIDEO

December 10, 2022 | Island Features | By: Joy Crist

Video by Rory Kelleher

Spirits were bright at the 31st annual Hatteras Village Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 10, with sunny weather throughout the afternoon, and several hundred residents and visitors lining the sides of N.C. Highway 12 to catch a glimpse of this year’s show.

The CHSS Drama Club performs a number from Elf the Musical Jr. Image by Rory Kelleher.

There were approximately 30 parade entries for the 2022 event, which included guest appearances from the Grinch, SpongeBob Squarepants and his crew, and even Uncle Eddie from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, who donned his best bathrobe for the occasion.

The parade kicked off with the Dare County Sheriff and the signature Conner’s Supermarket vintage car, followed by Dare County Commissioner Danny Couch and the Cape Hatteras Secondary School Marching Band, which set a lively tone for the procession that followed.

The National Park Service was next with their signature lighthouse costumes and ranger-hat-topped golf cart, followed by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and an unusually generous Grinch from Resort Realty who handed out candy. The Hatteras Island Cancer Foundation made a splash with a glittering fishing theme, followed by the Chamacomico Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) and the North Carolina Beach Buggy Association in a classic Ford. The Avon and Buxton VFDs also joined in the procession, with sirens and Christmas carols blaring, and the Fessenden Center team, led by SpongeBob, tossed out balls and toys to spectators.

Surf or Sound Realty made an appearance with a tree-lined gingerbread house, and the Frisco VFD and Hatteras Island Rescue Squad brought a few more flashing lights to the celebration. The U.S. Coast Guard decked out a motor lifeboat with garland for the festivities, and the Cape Hatteras Electric Cooperative brought their electric car as well as a power truck to the procession.

Santa waves to the crowd from the Hatteras VFD truck. Image by Rory Kelleher.

Midgett Realty’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation theme was a clear favorite with parade attendees, as was the “Blue Christmas” crew with Tar Heel and Duke fans energizing the crowd. The Blue Whale and Vacasa also brought a dose of seasonal fun to the parade, as did the CHSS soccer team, the Hatteras Island Girl Scouts, and a group of high-stepping horses.

The Froggy Dog and CHSS Drama Club paused in the Hatteras village center to perform a number from Elf the Musical Jr., the first CHSS musical in four years, which generated waves of applause.

The parade ended – as it traditionally does – with Santa Claus waving to the crowd from the back of the Hatteras Village Volunteer Fire Department truck, followed by a live announcement of the parade winners by this year’s judges, Natalie Scott, Jenna Aiken, and Kathy Quinn.

This year’s winners are as follows:

First Place: Froggy Dog and the CHSS Drama Club
Second Place: CHSS Marching Band
Third Place: Midgett Realty
Best Golf Cart: Blue Christmas Crew

Though the parade took just 30 minutes from start to finish, bystanders agreed that the event was one of the most entertaining in years, with plenty of sunshine and candy to go around.

Video by Rory Kelleher