photo by: Elvyn Jones

In this file photo from 2013, a young participant of a Festival of Lights Parade in downtown Baldwin City give a thumbs up in a four-wheel vehicle decked out with holiday lights.

Vehicles, floats, horses and even marchers will be decked out in strings of holiday lights on Dec. 1 for Baldwin City’s annual Festival of Lights.

The parade starts at 6 p.m. on Eighth Street along the west side of the Baker University campus and then turns east on High Street.

Jeannette Blackmar, executive director of the Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce, said Santa Claus will ride with the parade to the lot in the 700 block of High Street, known as the Lotitorium, where he will light the community Christmas tree.

The grand marshals of this year’s parade will be the McFarlane family and McFarlane Aviation. Blackmar said the Vinland aircraft parts manufacturing and distribution company is being honored in the parade because it received the Governor’s Award of Excellence this year — one of the most prestigious business awards in the state.

The day will provide multiple opportunities for children to meet Santa Claus, Blackmar said. Festivities will conclude with a downtown High Street fireworks show, which was first introduced three years ago.

This year’s Festival of Lights schedule is:

• 9 a.m.: Breakfast with Santa at the Baldwin Elementary School Intermediate Center, 100 Bullpup Drive

• 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Vintage Park open house and bazaar, 321 Crimson Ave.

• 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.: Gingerbread House Party, Lumberyard Arts Center, 718 High St.

• 4:30 to 6 p.m.: Holiday soup supper, Baldwin First United Methodist Church, Eighth and Grove streets

• 5 p.m.: Victorian carolers, Lumberyard Arts Center

• 6 p.m.: Festival of Lights Parade

• 6:30 p.m.: Tree lighting at Joe Spurgeon Park; fireworks display

• 6:45 p.m.: Baldwin City Recreation Commission raffle; pictures with Santa at Joe Spurgeon Park