Atwater, Livingston herald Christmas with parades

A yuletide spirit of joy and goodwill set the atmosphere Friday evening in Livingston and Atwater, as both cities held Christmas parades and festivities in celebration of the holiday season.

Atwater’s parade, sponsored by the Atwater Chamber of Commerce, began at Foster’s Freeze and continued to the Bloss Mansion. Livingston’s festivities included the city’s first Lighted Christmas Tree Forest on the former Court Theater property in downtown Livingston. For the Christmas Tree Forest, the city invited schools, nonprofits, families, clubs, churches, businesses and residents to get a tree and decorate it to represent them. The display will remain open daily from 5 to 9 p.m. through Christmas Eve.

Livingston’s celebration also included Christmas carols in the downtown area and a parade that traveled from Memorial Park to D Street.

The holiday season festivities are set to continue today in Merced, where the annual downtown Christmas parade, a holiday run and a craft fair are set to take place. Sponsored by the Active 20-30 Club, the events start with the fair, which will close portions of Canal and Main streets beginning at 8 a.m. today.

The club plans for craft and food vendors in the area from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and local performers in front of Bob Hart Square every hour. Several races are also planned as part of the Jingle Bell Run, which begins in the 500 block of West Main Street and goes through downtown. The event benefits Toys for Tots.

The parade kicks off at 3 p.m. on West Main Street, and the tree will be lighted afterward in Bob Hart Square. More performances and singing are planned after the tree is lighted.

This story was originally published December 5, 2014 at 9:17 PM with the headline "Atwater, Livingston herald Christmas with parades."