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By DONALD MOTTERN | Staff Writer

ALABASTER – With the Christmas season quickly approaching, local residents and visitors to Alabaster are preparing for the return of the city’s Christmas parade.

The parade, which has long served as the pinnacle of the city’s holiday celebrations, will return on Saturday, Dec. 2 at 10 a.m. and will see residents, local businesses and students representing a wide variety of class organizations all march together along Highway 31. The event is organized and directed by Alabaster city personnel.

“The Christmas parade goes back multiple decades, and we’ll easily have several thousand spectators lined up along the parade route on U.S. 31 the day of the event,” said Neal Wagner, public relations manager for the city of Alabaster. “We’ll have dozens of floats participating in the parade, with our fire department escorting Santa Claus at the end of the route.”

In years past, the parade has begun at Long Lewis Ford and proceeded south to the now former Alabaster Police Station. It then turns and goes over the train tracks, past Alabaster Auto and past the Thrift Store shopping center. The parade traditionally ends at the stop sign in front of Southbrook Village on 1st Street Southwest.

“Next to the Alabaster Arts Council’s CityFest event, I believe the Christmas parade is the most well-attended event in Alabaster each year,” Wagner said.

The parade will occur rain or shine unless the conditions become unsafe for participants and spectators. There are no fees to register for the parade and anyone can apply, however, the city of Alabaster reserves the right to refuse any person or organization.

“We’re really looking forward to kicking off the Christmas season in a few weeks,” Wagner said.

This year’s theme for the Christmas parade will be “Christmas at the movies.”