Last year’s Lighted Parade and Holiday Celebration in Perry proved much too big for just one location, so this year’s festivities will be held throughout the downtown area.

The event is held every year the Friday after Thanksgiving, and always features the popular lighted parade. Last year there were additional activities held at La Poste, which resulted in hundreds of people packed into the venue following the parade. To encourage people to keep up the enthusiasm but not feel so cramped, the Perry Chamber of Commerce is stepping in with the help of other downtown businesses to spread the activities out. Chamber Director Lynsi Pasutti explains, “It’s expanding beyond just the parade to kind of spill over into a holiday celebration, really kicking off the holiday season. And so we have Santa going to La Poste of course after the parade, but there are other activities as well. (We’re) just kind of expanding this event to more than just one location or just the parade. It’s really getting people out and downtown, and seeing the lights and seeing the decorations in the windows and things like that!”

The parade lineup will be at the corner of 2nd and Otley streets at 6 p.m., with the parade starting at 7. Other activities throughout the evening include: a pancake dinner and cookie decorating at Hotel Pattee from 5-10 p.m.; ukulele player Greta Akers performing a mini concert for kids while they wait in line for Santa at La Poste, as well as Perry youth singers at 8; the Perry High School Choir at 8:30, and Genevieve Michele Walczyk – the One-Woman Symphony at 9 at Hotel Pattee; the Perry junior class prom committee s’mores fundraiser in Soumas Court; hot chocolate at Perry Perk; and roaming carolers downtown.