Celebrate the holiday season

Here comes Santa Claus!

The CEE (that’s Chief Executive Elf) will be making three Lakes Region appearances this weekend to help usher in the holiday season. He will be visiting some of the places he does every year, though things might be a little different this time around.

Laconia

Laconia will continue its tradition of having a holiday parade on the weekend after Thanksgiving. This year’s will be a “reverse parade,” as organizers are calling it. Instead of inviting everyone in the city to come downtown for the parade, the route has been extended so that this year, the parade will come to you – or at least to your neighborhood.

The parade, which Santa will lead, will start downtown at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 29. The jolly elf, and his entourage, will head through Lakeport, then to the Weirs rotary, and back to downtown. Residents along the route are encouraged to illuminate their holiday decorations as he passes.

The parade will serve as the kick-off for the Light-Up Laconia Holiday Decorating Competition, organized by Celebrate Laconia. The public can vote for their favorite in the following categories: Clark Griswald, Themed, Traditional, and Rookie. Visit celebratelaconia.org for a map and voting.

While out trying to pick your favorite decorations, stop at Rotary and Stewart parks to see the City of the Lakes Holiday Walk, a new event sponsored by Melcher & Prescott and ClearChoice MD, in which businesses, organizations and families can sponsor a tree to decorate.

For those with budding young artists in the family, the Celebrate Laconia Lights Festival Coloring contest is sponsored by Franklin Savings Bank. It allows children 4-14 to share their holiday spirit. Coloring packets will be available starting November 29. Fill out the form on the back of the coloring page and drop off your child's art work at participating dropoff locations or email your entry to connect@celebratelaconia.org. Check the Celebrate Laconia website for pick-up and drop off locations throughout the city. The deadline for entering is Friday Dec. 11, at 4 p.m. Public voting on Celebrate Laconia’s Facebook page will begin Dec. 14, and winners and prizes will be announced on Dec. 22, 2020.

Bristol

The annual tree lighting in Bristol’s Central Square will take place on Friday, Nov. 27. Musical entertainment will begin at 5:30 p.m., and Santa will arrive at 6 p.m. to do the honors. Attendees are urged to wear a face covering, and children are invited to bring a letter for Santa and drop it in a special North Pole Mailbox at the square. Santa won’t be able to visit with individual children this year, but he will be sure to collect all of the letters before he leaves.

Tilton

Tilton’s Parks Commission is planning to host its annual Christmas Parade on the evening of Dec. 5, starting at 4:30 p.m. The parade will step off from the Union Sanborn School, travel through downtown and end at the high school. There won’t be any refreshments this year, nor will Santa be able to linger and mingle. The fireworks show will still be on, though, beginning at 5:30 p.m. over Riverfront Park.