More than 110 participants – a record – will bring holiday cheer to the streets of Bowling Green at the annual Bowling Green-Warren County Jaycees Christmas Parade, “Miracle on College Street.”

The parade, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, will start its route at the square on Main and College Street, cross over 12th Avenue and finish at State Street and Sixth Avenue. For safety reasons, people are asked to stay close to the sidewalk.

“There are going to be some great floats, bands, lots of fun and of course, Santa,” parade chairman Mary-John Carmon said.

The parade grand marshals will be the Red River Fiddlers, a performing group with a goal of preserving old-time fiddling, according to its website.

This year’s parade is set to be the largest parade in the 27 years Carmon has worked on it with 116 entries.

“You have 116 different groups with the sole purpose of putting on the parade for their community. It’s a great morning for the community,” Carmon said. “It’s our Christmas gift to Bowling Green.”

This year’s parade theme, “A Miracle on College Street,” was inspired by the one-mile run and walk hosted by the nonprofit organization Life’s Better Together. Life’s Better Together supports families in the community that are battling medical issues by offering assistance, whether that be helping with mortgage payments or cooking meals, according to its website.

“We wanted to give a shout out to them and what they’re doing,” Carmon said.

The race will begin at 9 a.m. Registration for the race costs $25 and can be found on the Life’s Better Together website, lifes bettertogether.org.

Registration closes Friday.

There are lots of opportunities this weekend to get into the holiday spirit with Downtown Lights Up at Fountain Square Park on Friday starting at 5:30 p.m.

“This weekend is going to be a phenomenal weekend to be downtown and if you weren’t in the Christmas spirit before you will be after this weekend,” Carmon said.

Surrounding towns in southcentral Kentucky will also celebrate the holiday season with their own Christmas parades.

Others include:

• Smiths Grove Christmas parade, “A Small Town Christmas,” will begin at 6 p.m. Friday in downtown Smiths Grove.
• Scottsville-Allen County Chamber of Commerce will host a “Christmas Lights Down Gingerbread Lane” parade at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Scottsville. Mayor Rob Cline will light the city’s 18-foot Christmas tree during the parade.
• The Morgantown-Butler County Chamber of Commerce will host its Christmas parade, “Home for Christmas,” at 2 p.m. Saturday. There is no entry fee for the parade, but the chamber encourages participants to bring one toy to be donated to the Butler County resources center and canned goods for the Morgantown Mission. Contact the chamber for more information at 270-526-682.
• Cave City Chamber of Commerce will host “A Beary Merry Christmas” featuring Grand Marshals Boo Boo, Yogi Bear and Cindy Bear at 4 p.m. Dec. 14. in downtown Cave City. For more information, call 270-773-5159
• Glasgow-Barren County Chamber of Commerce’s “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday in downtown Glasgow. The grand marshal will be members of Disabled American Veterans.
• The city of Auburn’s Christmas parade, “How the Grinch Saved Christmas,” will start at 2 p.m. Sunday at McCutchen Coke Municipal Park.
• The “Christmas Through the Decades” Christmas parade in Franklin will be at 1 p.m. Dec. 14 in downtown Franklin.
• The Woodburn Christmas parade will begin at noon Dec. 14 at Woodburn Community Park. There is no fee or pre-registration to enter the parade. Contact the Woodburn Fire Department at 270-529-2301 or Chief Bob Skipper at bob.skipper@woodburnfire.org for more information.
• Horse Cave’s Christmas parade will be at 10 a.m. Saturday in downtown Horse Cave.
• Munfordville Christmas parade will be at 1 p.m. Saturday downtown. Stop at the Hart County Historical Museum from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for a bowl of chili.