A rider from Rocking Horse Ranch in Pleasant Hill, Mo., guides her miniature cart led by a miniature Sicilian donkey during the Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade in this Dec. 6, 2008, file photo.

Plans for the annual Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade are gaining steam.

Saturday’s parade is set to be the biggest in its 16-year history and the parade has picked up two major sponsors for the event, said Phil Bradley, parade chair.

“Everything’s looking up,” he said.

After losing its main sponsor this year, the City of Lawrence and Wells Fargo Advisors have signed on to fill some of that gap.

Facing a need for funding, Bradley said he wasn’t surprised they were able to pick up the needed sponsors.

“Lawrence has a real tradition for stepping up for things it loves,” he said.

Some unique additions to the parade will spice up the event, said Elaine VanDeventer, executive director of the parade.

“You may have seen the parade before, but you haven’t seen this parade — it will be bigger and better than ever,” she said.

Some of those new additions include the Wells Fargo Stagecoach, an 1895 carriage restored in Stanton, Iowa, and a carriage from South Dakota that was featured in President Obama’s Inauguration Parade and that is powered by six Belgian horses.

So far, the parade features more than 80 entrants. The horses will take off at 11 a.m. from Seventh and Massachusetts streets and then head south through downtown.

Riders of the Lawrence Transit System can ride the T for free the day of the parade. Sunflower Broadband subscribers can watch the parade live on Channel 6, hosted by Matt Elwell. Replays are scheduled for Sunday at 8 p.m., Monday at 10:30 a.m. and Christmas Eve and 10:30 a.m. and 11 p.m.

Bradley said anyone who wants to get involved can still contribute by calling 865-4477 or visiting the parade’s Web site.

Though the parade plans are coming along, Bradley said there is still one major thing parade organizers need to make the event a success.

“We need a big crowd,” he said.