Indeed, horses — and decorated carriages and wagons — will take center stage on downtown Lawrence’s Massachusetts Street for the 31st annual Lawrence Old Fashioned Christmas Parade.

This year’s parade is set for 11 a.m. Saturday. The event bills itself as one of the most unique parades in the county because it shuns motorized vehicles, and instead features carriages, wagons, coaches and other vehicles from yesteryear that are pulled by horses.

The event got started in 1993 with 21 entries but has grown as large as 70 entries, according to information on the event’s website. This year, look for about 50 entrants, said Marty Kennedy, one of the lead organizers of the nonprofit event.

“It is going to be a good one,” Kennedy said. “We already have a good lineup of carriages and wagons. We have some new people, and a bunch of old ones coming back too.”

The parade draws participants from long distances. Kennedy said one participant comes in from Wyoming. A Colorado entrant is included in this year’s list, and there’s always a fair number from Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri, in addition to many from across Kansas.

National television cameras also have been drawn to the parade. RFD-TV, a national cable channel, has filmed the parade in the past, and Kennedy said it is scheduled to do so again this year. The network often broadcasts the parade later in the holiday season, giving some national exposure to Lawrence and its historic downtown.

Of course, the best way to view the parade is in person. Traditionally, more than 10,000 spectators descend upon downtown for the parade. Prime viewing locations are anywhere along Massachusetts Street from Seventh to 15th streets. Kennedy said a particularly good area to view the parade is in South Park, just south of 11th and Massachusetts streets. The city places bleachers in the park for parade-watchers, and spectators can easily hear the parade announcer from that location.

Along other parts of Massachusetts Street, spectators often bring lawn chairs or blankets, or some who plan ahead and have an empty belly will snag a spot in one of the many outdoor dining locations that often are right along the street’s edge and provide a prime view of the parade.

People who are looking for a little less crowded area might choose to catch the parade from an East Lawrence street. The horses are stabled at the Douglas County Fairgrounds near 19th and Harper in far eastern Lawrence. The horses, wagons, and carriages travels along East Lawrence streets to get to the start of the parade, and also take those city streets to get back to the fairgrounds. The area near 7th and New Jersey streets — is near the Amtrak depot — is a spot nearly all the parade participants travel through as they are making their way to the parade.

As for what you’ll see once you arrive, look for a variety of horses and many wagons and carriages that range from traditional pieces of farm equipment to specialty outfits. Parade entries were still being finalized at press time, but past parades have included many historic and authentic frontier wagons, ranging from Wells Fargo stagecoaches to funeral hearses to covered wagons. Special mounted groups such as the Nicodemus County Buffalo Soldiers and various military and law enforcement units and their horses also have been part of past parades.

McLouth getting in holiday spirit this weekend

McLouth’s Merry Christmas Festival will be filled with fun, food, and holiday cheer this weekend. The 2-hour event begins at 4 p.m. Saturday in downtown McLouth and at the Fire Station.

Something new this year will be the Downtown Business Decorating Contest. Local businesses will be lighting up Main Street. Take a stroll and enjoy the festive storefronts.

Santa will be arriving in style on a fire truck. Youths of all ages are invited to come say “hello” and share their Christmas wishes.

Christmas carolers and musicians will provide the sounds of the season with live music spreading holiday cheer throughout the evening.

Tasty treats and snacks: Warm up with complimentary hot cocoa and cookies, savory hot dogs and popcorn for a festive snack.

The mayor will light the Christmas tree in Luse Park after the festivities.

Enjoy a Christmas movie in the City Library after the tree lighting.

All donations are appreciated. Dollar General has a box at the entrance/exit where everyone may place children’s gifts/toy donations.

Sponsors are CoCo’s, Casey’s, Holwick Communications, McLouth Kiwanis, Dollar General, Daniels Excavating, McLouth Public Library, Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce and McLouth Recreation Commission.

Queens of Country Christmas is Friday

The Queens of Country Christmas fundraiser for the ALS Association will get the holiday started with a bit of twang as Betsy O & The Hollaback Boys present beloved country classics from great female artists such as Dolly Parton, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline and more.

The event is 8 p.m. Friday at Lucia, 1016 Massachusetts St. in Lawrence.

Madrigal Feaste is Dec. 14 at TMS

It’s almost time for the return of a popular Tonganoxie holiday tradition.

The 23rd Annual Madrigal Feaste will take place Dec. 14 with two shows: one at 3 p.m. and another at 7 p.m. at Tonganoxie Middle School.

This year’s title is “The Golden Boxer Shorts and Other Oddities.” The show centers around storytellers trying to win a royal storytelling contest. As always, there are terrible Dad jokes, puns, fun audience participation, choral music, wassail and a yummy dessert.

Tickets are $10 and can be reserved by emailing Tom Gifford at tgifford@tong464.org. No tickets will be sold at the door because the show usually sells out.

Check out next week’s holiday planner story for a complete cast list and choir rosters for the feaste, which features Tonganoxie middle and high school vocalists.

CNB to sponsor open house

Community National Bank will be spreading Christmas cheer later this month with a Tonganoxie Christmas Open House.

The event will be 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec. 19 at Community National Bank.

The community is invited to join in for a feast of food and drinks.

Knights of Lights back at RenFest site

Visitors can walk through the enchanted land of the Renaissance Festival grounds in Bonner Springs this holiday season. Knights of Lights is 5:30-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 5:30-9 p.m. Sundays at the grounds, as well as 5:30-9 p.m. Dec. 23, 24 and 31. There also will be a New Year’s Eve party from 10 p.m.-1 a.m. Dec. 31.

Historic Lecompton’s Annual Christmas Tree Display being offered through Jan. 5

The Historic Lecompton Annual Christmas Tree Display is now in its 20th year, and has grown to more than 240 Christmas trees decorated in the theme “Christmas through the Ages.” Many trees are decorated in a classic Victorian style, and they are displayed in one of the more historic settings in Douglas County. The Territorial Capital Museum is on the National Register of Historic Places for the role Lecompton played during the Bleeding Kansas period of the U.S. Civil War. Nearby are several other historic sites related to the Civil War and Kansas’ statehood.

The displays are available 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 1 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday through Jan. 5 at the Territorial Capital Museum, 640 E. Woodson Ave., Lecompton.

Lawrence Festival of Trees

For more than 30 years, the Festival of Trees has been the event to see Lawrence’s most elaborately — and sometimes whimsically — decorated Christmas trees. And they are all for sale, benefiting the nonprofit O’Connell Children’s Shelter. The trees are designed and decorated by local businesses, families and organizations who come up with themes ranging from the traditional to one-of-a-kind. Your chance to buy a tree comes at the grand gala auction, which is set for 7 p.m. (get there early to get your bidding number) Friday at Maceli’s. This year, the group also plans to have additional events during its festival week, including: a Breakfast with Santa on Saturday.

For more details check the website at oconnellchildrensshelter.org.

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirit Bright

Lawrence Lights: Making Spirits Bright winds through the Youth Sports Complex near the Clinton Lake Dam.

It features many synchronized light displays and a variety of holiday scenes. Organizers request that people reserve a time to view the display in order to minimize traffic issues. Reservations can be made at lawrence-lights.com. The admittance fee is used to help support more than a dozen local nonprofits. The Lawrence Board of Realtors Community Foundation, the Sertoma Club of Lawrence and the Lawrence Parks and Recreation Department organize the event, and then distribute funds to a variety of local groups that provide social services in the community.

The show is 5:30-9:30 p.m. through Dec. 27 at the complex, 4911 W. 27th St., Lawrence.

Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol: A Radio Play

The theater department at Baker University is bringing a world premiere to Douglas County for the holidays. An original adaptation by Director of Theater Trevor Belt centers on a group of actors recording a radio version of the holiday classic “A Christmas Carol.” But the night becomes a little too real for the actors as Ebenezer Scrooge and a whole cast of characters help remind everyone of the true meaning of Christmas.

The production will be 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Rice Auditorium, 404 Eighth St. in Baldwin City.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Willy Wonka will be part of Lawrence’s holiday scene this season, as Theatre Lawrence presents this family-friendly musical about the Chocolate Factory and its cast of characters. This adaptation of the 1971 film includes favorite songs like “Candy Man” and “Pure Imagination,” along with several pieces of new music.

The musical will be staged at various times Friday through Sunday, Dec. 12-15 and Dec. 19-22 at Theatre Lawrence, 4660 Bauer Farm Drive, Lawrence.

Lawrence Parks and Recreation Holiday Extravaganza

This show routinely brings vendors from across Kansas to sell their artistic and craft creations. Located inside the city’s biggest recreation center, the event is protected from the weather, and there is no admission charge to enter.

The event will be 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at Sports Pavilion Lawrence, 100 Rock Chalk Lane in Lawrence.

Tails & Traditions Holiday Festival

It is a morning in the museum for the kids and those who are kid-like. This event features holiday-themed crafts and activities, with one of the most popular being what the staff calls its Watkins Hobby Horses. The event also features an “Ellie on the Shelf” scavenger hunt. The event is a great way to spend some time in downtown Lawrence right before the Old Fashioned Christmas Parade begins. The event is 9-11 a.m. Saturday at Watkins Museum of History, 1047 Massachusetts St., Lawrence

Baldwin City Festival of Lights Parade

The Baldwin City Chamber of Commerce and other organizers put together a unique event each year that combines the favorite sights of Christmas decorations and parades. Floats draped with lights make their way through downtown Baldwin City, which is adjacent to the historic campus of Baker University. Traditionally there is a Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the end of the parade, and Baldwin City’s Lumberyard Arts Center has works on display. The event is 5 p.m. Saturday in downtown Baldwin City.

Gingerbread House Party

If you have ever wanted to try your hand at creating a gingerbread house, this event is your chance. House-building will happen inside the Lumberyard Arts Center in downtown Baldwin City from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday. While there, participants can check out the various art offerings at the nonprofit community center, which includes its own gift shop, Lucy’s Corner. Then your gingerbread creations will be on display from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Kiddie Candle Dipping

Here’s a chance for kids to learn how to make their own candles from the longtime creatives at Lawrence’s Waxman Candles. Kids will actually get to dip their own free candle to take home with them.

The event is 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Waxman Candles, 609 Massachusetts St., Lawrence.

KU Vespers celebrates 100 years Sunday

This is a big one. It is the 100th anniversary for KU’s Holiday Vespers by the university’s school of music. The event is always one of the top performances of holiday music in Lawrence. This year, it will feature a pair of world premieres — one symphony piece by James Barnes, a professor emeritus in the KU music school, and a choir and piano piece written by current faculty member Forrest Pierce. Both pieces were created specifically for this 100 year celebration. Also special this year is a performance by a KU alumni choir. The event also will feature performances by the Lawrence Children’s Choir and the KU Trumpet Ensemble.

Concerts are 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive.

Holiday Homes Tour are Sunday

Lawrence’s Habitat for Humanity loves showing off holiday homes. Up to eight homes will be on this year. Tickets for the event, which benefit the nonprofit in its efforts to provide affordable housing, can be purchased on the organization’s website, lawrencehabitat.org, or stop by the organization’s retail location, Habitat ReStore at 2108 W. 27th St.

The tours are noon-5 p.m. Sunday at various homes in Lawrence.

Baker University Christmas Candlelight Vespers to perform Sunday

Candlelight Vespers is a Baker University tradition. Hear both orchestra and choir music from some of the top musicians at the private liberal arts college — the oldest in Kansas — in southern Douglas County. The performance will start at 2 p.m. Sunday at Rice Auditorium, 404 Eighth St., Baldwin City

KU Jazz Vespers concert is Dec. 11

One vespers show isn’t enough to capture all the talent at KU’s school of music. For people who like their holiday music with a pep in its step, KU is hosting Jazz Vespers. The show will feature a variety of holiday favorites both with a jazz and pop theme. KU’s award-winning Jazz Ensemble I will perform, along with special guest musicians.

The show will start at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive, Lawrence.