Mount Zion Church of Christ Snow Train blasted paper snow into the air Saturday, December 5, 2015, during the Bowling Green Jaycees's Christmas Parade. (Miranda Pederson/photo@bgdailynews.com)

The region will be alive with the sounds and sights of Christmas this weekend and next weekend with annual parades.

The Bowling Green Jaycees’ Christmas Parade, themed “Our Christmas Wish,” will be at 9:30 a.m. Saturday. The parade starts on the square at College Street and Main Avenue, goes to 12th Avenue, turns left, turns left again on State Street and finishes on Sixth Avenue. The grand marshal will be Chapel Tinius, the current Miss Kentucky Outstanding Teen.

Three-fourths of the 100 entries are floats, parade Chairwoman Mary-John Carmon said. “We have some amazing floats,” she said. “When I saw the entries I was really excited.”

Kicking off the parade will be “A Miracle on College Street Mile,” a one-mile fun run that benefits Life’s Better Together, a nonprofit that provides financial assistance to a child or parent battling an ongoing chronic illness. The fun run starts at 9 a.m. Cost is $20 for an individual or $60 for a family or team of four. The first 250 participants get Santa hats and shirts. To register, visit http://lifesbettertogether.org/upcoming-events/miracle-on-college-street-mile/.

“Anybody can run a mile. You can run or walk it,” Life’s Better Together founder Danette Idlett said. “Our hope is to line State Street with Santas. It is a timed mile so if anybody wants to see how fast they can run a mile this is a good way to do it.”

Runners will start at College and Main at the “South Pole” sponsored by Bowling Green Orthotics and Prosthetics and end at Booth Fire and Safety at the “North Pole” sponsored by Guaranteed Pest Control. ServPro is the title sponsor. At the finish line, M&L Electrical will provide a pancake breakfast for participants, Idlett said.

Carmon said people should line up along the parade route and not just the start of the route.

“We want to provide safe entertainment for the spectators. It’s going to be a great morning,” she said. “It’s not televised anymore, so it’s the only way you’re going to see the Bowling Green Christmas parade. Come early and cheer on the runners.”

Other parades will include:

•The Boyce Christmas Parade will be at 2:30 p.m. Sunday. Lineup starts at 1:30 p.m. on Greenbriar Road. Follow the signs posted on Ky. 240. Parade participation fee is a new unopened toy for Toys for Tots. Refreshments will be served at the Boyce Community Center. The parade has 130 entries, including one that will be the ride for U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green. For more information, call Sandra Hughes at 270-842-2066.

•The Smiths Grove & Lions Club Christmas Parade will be at 6 p.m. Friday with the theme of “A Small Town Christmas.” The parade website said more than 2,000 spectators come to enjoy marching bands, firetrucks, beauty queens, horses, decorated floats, elected officials and more.

•The Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade, themed “Christmas Love,” will be at 6 p.m. Saturday. The grand marshals are the Glasgow Shrine Club/Kosair Charities. The parade starts on Columbia Avenue and moves to Broadway at East Main Street before going counterclockwise around the square. The route then will turn at South Green Street, continue past College Street and end between West Brown Street and Leslie Avenue.

•The Cave City Christmas Parade, themed “It’s a Kid’s Christmas,” will be at 5 p.m. Dec. 10. People can register that day until 2 p.m. on the parade lot at the Cave City Convention Center, 502 Mammoth Cave St.

•Auburn’s “Christmas Parade of Heroes” will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 11. The parade will honor veterans, law enforcement, emergency medical service workers, firefighters and other civil service workers. There will be a decorated float contest and free cookies and cocoa on the square. The parade will start on East Main Street near Gordon Drive and continue down West Main Street before turning left on Rector Avenue and left on Sunset Drive. The parade will turn left on Lincoln Street before turning right on Spring Street and ending at Auburn Park.

•The Scottsville Christmas Parade, themed “Songs of the Season,” will be at 4 p.m. Saturday. The parade will include floats, cars, horses, firetrucks, antique cars and more. The parade will begin at the Dollar General Warehouse on Old Glasgow Road and continue through the public square to the red light by Rite-Aid.

•The 27th Schochoh Community Center’s Christmas Parade, themed “Small Town Christmas,” will be at 2 p.m. Sunday. There will be free barbecue after the parade along with an auction. T-shirts will be available to purchase. Vendors are welcome to set up a booth in front of the community center.

•The Horse Cave Christmas Parade will be at 10 a.m. Saturday. The parade will include floats, bands, firetrucks, Santa Claus and more. Santa will be at the Deck the Halls: The Christmas Store at 108 E. Main St. after the parade.

•The Kiwanis Christmas Parade will be at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in Franklin. The parade will line up at the Simpson County Board of Education at 430 S. College St., go down College and loop around back to the board of education. Participants can register onsite at 4:30 p.m. for vehicles or floats for $20. If you enter an all-terrain vehicle you must wear a helmet. Horse entries are $5 per horse. The day will include multiple events including a holiday bazaar from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at First united Methodist Church; a movie at the Roxy Theater at 1:30 p.m.; and free crafts and other activities on the square from 3 to 5 p.m. Relay for Life will have a chili supper from 4 to 7 p.m. at Franklin Presbyterian Church Cornerstone Building. A free community Christmas concert will be at the Goodnight Auditorium at 7 p.m.

•The Richardsville Christmas Parade will be at 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Participants will line up at 1 p.m. at Richardsville Community Center. The route will turn right and go to Cole Kountry Store, then make a loop through Ky. 263 to Richardsville Bypass and turn right. The parade will then go back out Ky. 263 and go back out Whalen Road before turning left on Therkel Ferry. The parade will turn left on Ky. 263 and go back to Richardsville Community Center. In case of rain, the parade will be Dec. 11.

•Morgantown’s Christmas parade will be at 2 p.m. Saturday. Floats should begin lining up no earlier than 11 a.m. at Morgantown Elementary School. All entries except antique cars must be decorated.

•Quality’s 14th annual Christmas Parade will be at 1 p.m. Dec. 10. Lineup begins at noon at Old Andrews Store on Ky 106. All entries must be decorated. There will be free chili and hot dogs after the parade at Quality Baptist Church. There will be a chance at cash drawings for anyone who brings a canned good or makes a donation to the Morgantown Mission.

— Follow features reporter Alyssa Harvey on Twitter @bgdnfeatures or visit bgdailynews.com.