Santa Claus is coming to town Friday

Santa Claus is coming to Holton’s Town Square with the Christmas Parade of Lights this Friday!

The jolly old elf and Mrs. Claus are inviting kids of all ages to the Jackson County Courthouse after the end of the Christmas Parade of Lights to share their holiday wish lists. The Parade of Lights begins at 5:30 p.m. Friday on the Square, and Santa and Mrs. Claus will bring up the rear of the parade, riding in on a horse-drawn wagon, it was reported.

There’s still plenty of time to register and decorate a vehicle for the Christmas Parade of Lights, which will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the Square. Christmas lights on the Square will be turned on at that time, it was reported.

The parade will feature vehicles, floats, farm machinery and other modes of transportation decked out with Christmas lights, it was reported. All area individuals, families, emergency personnel, government officials, churches, clubs and schools are invited to participate in the parade.

At press time, Parade of Lights entries so far included the American Legion Riders, the VFW Riders, Soldier Christian Church, First Baptist Church of Holton, Clark Chevrolet, the Holton Police Department, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, the Potawatomi Tribal Fire Department and The Holton Recorder.

Cash prizes will be awarded for Best Religious Float, Best Business Float or Entry, Best Club or Organization Float and Brightest Entry. The Farmers State Bank, Holton National Bank and The Holton Recorder will provide the cash prizes.

There is no fee for participation in the Parade of Lights, although preregistration is preferred. Friday’s weather forecast predicts clear skies and a high in the upper 50s; see the weather forecast on Page 2 for more details.

For more Parade of Lights information, and to notify the public ahead of time that you plan to have a float or other entry in the parade, contact David Powls at The Recorder office, 364-3141, or e-mail holtonrecorder@embarqmail.com

Families wanting to spend some time with Santa after the parade are asked to line up at the Courthouse’s north and south entrances after the parade, according to Lynne Mulroy, president of Holton Main Street, which is sponsoring Santa’s visit. Santa and Mrs. Claus will enter the east side of the Courthouse, which will remain locked until Santa arrives, Mulroy said.

Once the doors are unlocked, those who enter at either side of the Courthouse will be asked to form two lines per entrance, and the lines will alternate for visits with Santa and photos of those visits. Mulroy said photos of visits with Santa will be taken by Kiersten Luthi, and photo packages will be available for $2 each, to be picked up later at Koger Variety.

Following the visits with Santa, Mulroy said Santa’s “elf” will be on hand to give candy canes, and families are invited to visit Mrs. Claus afterward at Penny’s on the west side of the Square. Children will have the opportunity to decorate their own homemade holiday cookie with sprinkles, icing and more for 50 cents each, it was reported. Horse-drawn wagon rides also will be available.

Holton’s Rotary Club will also be on hand to serve Johnsonville brats in front of The Holton Recorder office on the south side of the Square. The brats will be provided by Holton’s own Banner Creek L.L.C. facility, it was reported.

Mulroy added that visitors to the Square are encouraged to “wander around” and view the holiday paintings on storefront windows. “’Tis the Season” is the theme of this year’s window paintings, all of which are geared toward children, said Mulroy, who also serves as window painting coordinator.

This year’s painters are Carol Keehn, Donna Kuti, Marty Mavrovich, Helen Plankinton, Suzette Rogers and Dei and Vickie Pruett.

“The painters never get too much recognition,” Mulroy said.