A Charles City holiday favorite is coming back and will be partnering with a more recent tradition to light up the night and kickoff the holiday season on Friday, Dec. 5th.

The Holiday Lighted Parade last lit up the streets of Charles City in 2019. It was cancelled during the COVID year of 2020 and then replaced by the Santa’s Shining Lights Display in Central Park the following year. Following requests each year to bring it back, the Promotion Committee of Main Street Charles City is doing just that.

The parade will take place downtown at 5:30 p.m. and end on the North Jackson Street side of Central Park as a lead-in to the lighting ceremony for Santa’s Shining Lights Display. In previous years that park lighting has been the Saturday after Thanksgiving, but it has been moved back a week in partnership with the parade. A holiday fireworks show will also take place over the Main Street Bridge around 6:15-6:30 p.m.

Any and all businesses and organizations are invited to take part in the parade with a lighted entry. There is no fee to participate, but you need to sign up with the Main Street Charles City office at (641) 228-2335 or email info@charlescitychamber.com.