Mathews County will be in the spotlight this weekend as hundreds are expected to line up for its annual Christmas Parade, which will begin at 1 p.m. Saturday from Thomas Hunter Middle School. “Christmas Melodies” is the theme of this year’s parade, which will run to the Bank of America building.

This year’s grand marshal will be Jimmy Smith a.k.a. “Uncle Jimmy Wickham” of Virginia’s Li’l Ole Opry. Smith, who opened Donk’s Theater in 1975 at a country music concert hall, continues to perform as much as possible with his family at churches and at Mathews High School, where the Opry shows have been housed since the theater’s roof collapsed during winter weather in January.

Mathews Cub Scout Pack 124 will again be collecting canned goods and non-perishable food during the parade for Hands Across Mathews. Donors are asked to have food items in grocery bags in front of them during the parade so the scouts can collect them.

The po...