Barren Inc. announces theme for 2025 Glasgow Christmas Parade

GLASGOW, Ky. – Thursday afternoon, Barren Inc., the Barren County Chamber of Commerce, promised an announcement that would make the city of Glasgow glow, and they delivered.

“We are proud to announce that the 2025 theme is Neon Christmas with that tagline ‘Let it glow. Let it glow. Let it glow…’ It is my great privilege to introduce to you a group of athletes who embody dedication, teamwork and heart. Our 2025 Grand Marshal for this year is the Flames, Barren County Special Olympics,” Trevor Phillips of Phillips Family Butcher Shop announced.

A tradition that began at the corner of Leslie Avenue, West Brown Street, and Cleveland Avenue continues. Many locals refer to that area as the Triangle, but in the 1950s, it was the very first starting point of the original Glasgow Christmas Parade.

However, for the Barren County Flames Special Olympics team, this year’s grand marshals, the surprise was so huge, the coaches had to keep it all day.

“It’s been hard not to tell them because they all want to know what’s going on. Why are we here for? Tell us, Coach… well, we can’t. You’ll see, you’ll see. So it’s very hard to keep them from finding out,” Coach Greg Barnard says.

Once they did find out, there were really only two words that could describe their emotions.

“I am very, very happy about it,” Alan Wells says.

“I was definitely very ecstatic,” Evan Bernard added.

“I’m happy, I’m ecstatic,” Ethan Follis agreed.

For Bernard he just moved to Glasgow last year, so to already be a grand marshal is a huge accomplishment.

“I love this town… and it means so much to me to be a part of this, to be a part of this team, to be a part of the grand marshal… It’s amazing,” he says.

For the coaches, it’s a heartwarming moment to see the kids get that recognition from their community.

“I’ve been coaching for 15 years… and most of these kids I’ve grown up with, and it’s just heartwarming to see their reaction and to get some publicity, I guess you might say. Let the public see who we are… they think Special Olympics… It’s a bad little area they think they’re in… but these kids are just like we are. I’m a big advocate about that… they put their pants on like we do… and they do that… and then they’re good kids and they deserve this. They deserve this,” Barnard says.