It’s the beginning of the most wonderful time of the year, and the Calhoun downtown Christmas parade is coming to town.

Now in its 16th year, the annual Calhoun Christmas Parade of Lights will be winding through downtown at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 9.

Floats throughout the parade route will be displaying this year’s Christmas Morning theme. This year’s parade sponsors are the Northwest Georgia Regional Fair, the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Downtown Development Authority.

Young and old filled with Christmas cheer will huddle together along the parade route down Wall Street, said Sue Ellen Clyatt, chair of the parade with the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce.

“We had a wonderful turnout last year,” she said.

The six-tenths of a mile parade will march down Wall Street between Line Street and Maple street through downtown in its traditional route.

Registration for the parade requires a $20 application fee to cover the expenses of the event, according to Clyatt. There will be an additional $3 charge for any vehicle or group following the initial registered participant.

The chamber will be judging participating floats in six categories including: Most Musical, Best Use of Lights, Best Religious Theme, Best Use of Parade Theme, Most Spirited and Show Your Digits.

The staging area for participants will be on North Wall Street between Red Bud Road and Line Street, according to Clyatt. This area will be closed to public traffic beginning at 5:30 p.m. on the day of the parade.

Contact the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce for application, rules, and regulations for the parade at 706-625-3200 or online at www.exploregordoncounty.com. The deadline to register is Friday, Dec. 3 at 5 p.m.