AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The Augusta Christmas parade scheduled for Saturday has been canceled due to weather, disappointing participants who prepared floats and paid entry fees.

The event will not be rescheduled and the $150 entry fee will not be refunded, as it is considered a donation to the Ronald McDonald House.

“It is a donation to the cause. And that’s the great thing about it. At least we got a chance to give back to help them out,” said Charity Jones, owner of Pedal Pub in Augusta.

Jones had prepared her bikes for the parade, as they participate every year. “We had everything all ready for tomorrow we were going to put our decorations on tonight because it was raining,” she said.

Despite understanding the weather concerns, she wishes for a rescheduled date.

“Not being able to do it this year is disappointing. But hey, we can’t do nothing about the weather. So that part is understandable. But it would be nice if we could reschedule it for another day,” Jones said.

Leaders from the city, Downtown Development Authority and the Ronald McDonald House, who work together to organize the parade, said they do not reschedule the parade due to other holiday events happening on other days through the next month.

The Augusta Light Up Spectacular, the city’s tree lighting event, has been rescheduled to December 13 at 4 p.m. at the Augusta Common.

Jones said the Pedal Express, their Christmas light tour, will continue operating through Augusta during the holiday season. “We take you around to all the other areas and do everything in the holiday spirit and then we come back and give you holiday cookies,” she said.

Those looking forward to Augusta’s parade will have to wait until next year.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – The cities of Augusta and Grovetown have canceled and postponed some of its Christmas celebrations due to weather.

Augusta

The city of Augusta has canceled its parade that was scheduled for Saturday due to weather.

The Christmas Light Up Event will be rescheduled for Dec. 13 at 4 p.m. at the Augusta Common.

The parade will not be rescheduled.

Grovetown

The city of Grovetown has postponed its Christmas parade and festival events due to weather.

The event scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6 has been postponed until Dec. 13, according to city officials.

The parade will be held on the same route and will at 10 a.m.

The festival will be at Liberty Park and will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

City officials say they feel that the decision is in the best interest of event participants, organizers and attendees.

Waynesboro

Saturday’s parade has been postponed until , Dec. 13 at 1 p.m., Waynesboro officials said on Facebook.

“Your safety is our top priority and we look forward to seeing you then,” the city said.

Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – It’s the charter committee’s answer to the government’s P.R. problem.

“People say all the time we have to restore public trust. I argue that we haven’t ever had it. This is kind of the way we work towards that where we can trust our officials,” said Sheffie Robinson, of the Charter Review Committee.

To get that trust, the committee approved new ethics rules and the creation of a citizens panel to investigate ethics complaints of the government.

“Any time there are complaints and there are issues you want to make sure they are dealing on the highest ethical grounds that they can,” said Clint Bryant of the Charter Review Committee.

With issues swirling around city spending, the committee approved putting a financial watchdog in the charter, creating an independent auditor position to follow the taxpayer’s money.

“I think the internal auditor will not necessarily find fraud, but can increase productivity,” said Lee Powell, Charter Review Committee member.

“An attempt to get back to transparency and accountability. You won’t support a tax increase when you think that money is going to be frittered away,” said Charter Committee Chair Marcie Wilhelmi.

But an internal auditor would be a new mandated position, costing the taxpayers.

“The money they will save this government will much more than pay for their department,” said Powell.

The committee is making its move and if state lawmakers and voters agree, these steps to improve ethics and watch over tax dollars will be written into the new city charter.