56th Ashland Hanover Olde Time Holiday Parade is November 23, 2025

56th Ashland Hanover Olde Time Holiday Parade Marches on Saturday, November 23, 2025

Well, we heard Santa was coming so let’s have a parade to welcome him back. We at the Ashland Kiwanis Club have worked diligently to do just that. Due to Santa’s busy schedule, the parade is a rain or shine event, so check the weather forecast and dress appropriately.

This year’s parade will have 122 units with nearly 1900 individuals taking part, walking, riding, marching, and dancing. The parade is sponsored by the Town of Ashland with the Ashland Kiwanis Club doing the organizing and direction for the parade as we have done for 29 years now. The starting location is at the intersection of Thompson Street and Snead Streets. The step off time is 2:00 pm. Units travel east on Thompson and England Streets, turning North at Henry Street, through the Randolph-Macon Campus and ends at Berkley Street.

Representatives of the Town of Ashland Police and Hanover County Sheriff’s office will lead the parade following the Color Guard. This year’s Parade Grand Marshal is Dr. Michael Hill, the incoming President of Randolph Macon College. Please come out and welcome him to town.

And, as usual, the last unit is Santa Claus.  Between these two very important people there will be the Patrick Henry High School marching band, Navy Junior ROTC units from Patrick Henry and Mechanicsville High Schools, antique vehicles, Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Fire and Rescue Units, as well as several of ACCA Temple’s Units to put a spark in the entertainment. The 2025 Hanover Christmas Mother, Ricki Hall Smith, will also be riding in the parade. And no parade is complete without a few horses and this year will be no exception.

New this year and since there is no charge for parade entries as we give entertainment to the community, we have joined with the Hanover Youth Service Council to collect shelf-stable food items to give to our Hanover Food Pantries at the same time. So, in lieu of an entry fee, we are asking participants to bring an item to be shared among affiliated Hanover Food Pantries.

Now, if you are not in the parade this year but would like an invitation next year, just let us know at ashlandkiwanis@gmail.com. Invitations go out via email in early September. If you would like to know more about our Club and our projects, you may drop us an email at the same address or go to our web site which is www.ashlandvakiwanis.org and check us out.

Mark Sunday November 23, 2025, at 2:00 pm on your calendar to attend the parade that begins the Holiday Season in Ashland, Hanover County and Metropolitan Richmond. Bundle up and come out for the parade and a ringside seat along the route. See you there.

-Ranny Robertson

Welcome our new 2025-26 Club Officers and Directors

The Kiwanis Club of Ashland, VA announces its New Officers for 2025-26.

The Ashland Kiwanis Club year runs from October to October.

The new Club officers are:

President- Bill Barga

President-Elect- Drew Molloy

Vice President- Bill Hefele

Treasurer- Ed Cooper

Secretary- Suzanne Dubose

Assistant Secretary- Ed Hutchinson

Immediate Past President- Mike Fonseca

The 2024-26 Club Directors are:

PJ Edmonds, John Myers, Cheri Shehane, and Pam Sopall

The 2025-27 Club Directors are:

Mike Carter, John Hartman, Roy Mills, and Suz Morrison.

The officers were installed at the first club meeting of October.

The Ashland Kiwanis Club is one of the oldest Kiwanis clubs in Virginia, dating back to 1923, and the only Kiwanis club in Hanover County.

Throughout their history, Ashland Kiwanis’ service projects have been geared to the community – Ashland as well as the rest of the county.  The club believes youths are the keys to their future and to the future of our country.  Through their many and varied service projects and programs, they promote, nurture and guide the children of the county. They, in turn, can build and make local neighborhoods the types of places people can be proud to call their own.

Ashland Kiwanis plans the annual Ashland/Hanover Holiday Parade. This year the 56th parade will be held Sunday, November 23rd.

The club welcomes all service-oriented men and women to become Ashland Kiwanians. The Kiwanis motto is serving the children of the world, one community and one child at a time.

More information about Ashland Kiwanis can be found at https://ashlandvakiwanis.org

#KidsNeedKiwanis

Thank You for Coming to Our New Member Open House!

Thanks for joining us for an open house at the Iron Horse Restaurant in Ashland on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025. We had a great turn out! Prospective new members had the chance to meet some local Kiwanians, ask questions and have some refreshments.

We are always looking for motivated new members. If you were not able to attend or did attend but have questions, please reach out. You can reach us at‪ info@ashlandvakiwanis.org or (804) 496-1608.‬