The Greater Williamsburg Chamber of Commerce announced that the 2021 Christmas Parade sponsored by Dominion Energy will be held at 5 pm on December 5th.

Since 1965, parades have been a tradition to welcome festivals. This year's theme is "Happy World", which aims to remind participants why they celebrate, including gathering together as a community.

At the beginning of the evening, the Chamber of Commerce encourages participants to decorate floats with holiday lights, and encourages spectators to wear light-up costumes and other holiday costumes.

The parade route will run from Kaplan Arena to the Williamsburg Colony employee parking lot, passing through Richmond Road and parts of Duke Street in Gloucester.

For more information about the parade, please visit: businesswilliamsburg.com/christmas-parade.

The historical triangle chapter of Coming to the Table is sponsoring this weekend's "Bridging Race Divide" rally.

The rally will be held on Saturday at 345 W. Duke of Gloucester St. outside the former William and Mary Bookstore from 2 to 4 pm.

Earlier this year, the Williamsburg City Council established the Truth and Reconciliation Committee. Earlier this month, Adam Canadi, the vice chairman of the committee, shared their mission statement.

According to the press release of the rally, it aims to educate the community about local initiatives aimed at bridging racial differences and help position Williamsburg as a leader in racial rehabilitation and reconciliation.

Speakers at the rally included city leaders and members of local organizations, including Pat Dent, the deputy mayor of Williamsburg; Sarah Thomas, project director of the William & Mary Lemon Project; York-Jamestown-Williamsburg Lawrence Golson, chairman of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

"Because Williamsburg is the colonial capital of Virginia, we said,'Williamsburg is the same, and so is the country.' Williamsburg is leading the way in racial healing and reconciliation, which couldn't be more appropriate. When we were born in the United States When things are done right at the place and the root, it will have repercussions across the state and the country," said Laura Hill, founder and director of the chapter "Towards the Table" in the Historical Triangle, in a press release.

From November to January of the following year, residents of Williamsburg will have the opportunity to receive loose leaves for free.

The city is divided into two collection routes, red and blue, and each route has five collection weeks. The collection of the red route will start in the week of November 1st, and the collection of the blue route will start in the week of November 8.

From the start date to January, leaves will be collected every other week.

Before 7 o'clock in the morning of the first week, the leaves must be raked to the side of the road or the edge of the road, not on the drainage road. Leaves cannot be stacked behind vehicles, trees or shrubs. Bags of leaves can be placed on the side of the road, but each household cannot exceed 10 bags per collection day.

Each street will only be collected once during the collection week.

Around Christmas, the Christmas tree collection will be held on January 3 and January 10. The Christmas tree must be placed on the street before 7 a.m. on the day of collection, and no decorations or lights can be attached.

For more information on the collection route and registration reminders, please visit williamsburgva.gov/962/Residential-Curbside-Leaf-Collection.

The city has opened the third phase of the COVID-19 Small Business Grant Program, which compensates businesses for rent and mortgage costs during the pandemic.

In cooperation with York County and Poquoson, the third and final phase of the grant program provides businesses in the three regions with rent or mortgage reimbursement for up to 6 months and no more than $15,000.

To be eligible, businesses negatively affected by the pandemic must have employed 20 or fewer full-time employees at some time since March 12, 2020, and have been in business until March 12, 2020.

Any business that receives funding through the first and second phases of the grant program will only qualify for the remaining amount of USD 15,000 that has not been received.

For a complete list of requirements and applications, please visit: yeswilliamsburg.com/210/COVID-19-CDBG-Business-Grant.

Abigail Adcox, abigail.adcox@virginiamedia.com, 757-264-8149