Decorations are out, and the lights have taken on a holiday feel in downtown Cedartown as the holidays have begun, and the first day of December marks the start of the season with the arrival of Santa Claus to town at the end of the Cedartown Christmas Parade.

The annual Christmas parade is set to start on Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 6 p.m. and the city is encouraging all to come out and enjoy the spirit of the holiday season in this year’s “Toyland Christmas”-themed parade.

At least a thousand spectators are expected on the sidewalks of Main Street down in the area of Thompson Street all the way up to the Courthouse along the parade route.

Polktoday.com subscriber video coverage will be available following the parade of the entire event this year.

This year’s “Toyland Christmas” theme seeks those who are joining the parade this year to display toys on their floats, having bags of toys, dressing up like toys or even the Toy Story Movie theme. Organizers encouraged those who signed up by Monday to take part to “get creative” this year.

Prizes will be awarded in three categories and all entries will be judged based on the theme.

Category one will be a church division with a $500 first place prize, a $300 second place prize and a $200 third place prize.

Category two will be an open division with a $500 first place prize, a $300 second place prize and a $200 third place prize.

Category three is “Most Outstanding” with only a first-place award of $500.

The deadline to enter a float in the 2022 Cedartown Christmas Parade was Monday, Nov. 28 at 5 p.m.