HOGANSVILLE – It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Hogansville, and it will be even more so on Friday when the annual Christmas parade marches through downtown.

The Hogansville Christmas Parade is a local tradition that brings out the community and gets everyone in the Christmas spirit, and organizers are hopeful for a great parade this year.

“We look forward to it every year, and it is a great way to kick off the holiday season,” said Mary Stewart of William & Mary’s Antiques. “There will be music and caroling and the tree lighting.”

The parade and other events like it are only possible because of the hard work of members of the community who pitch in to make the community a more interesting place to live and work, organizers say.

“What I’m excited about is the community involvement,” said parade organizer Rose Pallett. “Everybody is so excited about their little part and what they can do.”

This year’s parade’s theme is “A Star is Born,” based on the Judy Garland musical of the same name, and an active Hogansville resident is expected to lead the star-studded floats down the route.

“I was kind of shocked that anyone would want me (to be the grand marshal),” said Todd Pike, who has been the chairman of the Humingbird Festival for the last three years. “…I think there is going to be a good crowd this year.”

This year, Greenville High School’s band plans to play in the parade since Callaway High School’s band will be with the football team, which has made it to the final four of the football playoffs this year.

Caroling is scheduled to take place in Calvin Hipp Veterans Memorial Park on Friday at 5 p.m., and the tree lighting is scheduled for 5:45 p.m. The Hogansville Christmas Parade is scheduled for 6 p.m., starting at Hogansville Elementary School and going down Main Street. Pictures with Santa will follow the parade.