Throughout the Northeast Georgia communities, festivities for Christmas are fast approaching. And leading the charge is a handful of holiday parades with spectacular lights and floats entertaining all ages.

IN HALL COUNTY

The 6^th annual Flowery Branch Christmas Tree Lighting and Roll n’Stroll Parade will be on Saturday, Dec. 5. 

The event is held on Main Street and begins at noon with vendors, hay rides, concerts and dancers. The parade will start at 3 p.m. After the parade, Santa will be available for photos until the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.

Lula will usher in the holiday season with its Christmas in the Park on Saturday, Dec. 5.

The festival starts at 4 p.m. with Christmas hymns and music by individuals and area churches. The parade will follow at 6 p.m. with Santa Claus’ arrival.

After the parade Santa will stay and meet children in Santa’s Workshop in the newly renovated Poole Building next to the park.

Christmas on Green Street is one of the biggest holiday events in Hall County. The annual event on Sunday, Dec. 6, in Gainesville, includes a parade, narrated history of the street’s homes, live music, fudge tasting, live nativity and carriage and train rides.

The parade begins at 4:45 p.m. and the lighting of Christmas tree is at 7 p.m. The tree is located where Green Street meets Academy Street.

Many of the businesses along the street will be open and provide special treats to visitors. The Times office at 345 Green Street will also be open and visitors can stop in to take a silly photo in the Times photo booth and drop off letters to Santa.  

IN LUMPKIN COUNTY

An Old Fashioned Christmas Parade will return to downtown Dahlonega at 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5.

“The Old Fashioned Christmas has been a long-running tradition in Dahlonega, so it’s kind of like to capture just the small town essence of Dahlonega and really embrace that,” said Kristyn Iodice, communications coordinator for the Dahlonega-Lumpkin Chamber and Visitors Bureau.

Accompanying the event will be “a lot of live music festivities and a lot of Christmas cheer,” Iodice said.

But before the marching begins, the city will decorate downtown Nov. 27, for the approaching festivities.

“Right after Thanksgiving will be the lighting of downtown,”  Iodice said. “The downtown is always lit up with beautiful lights that run throughout the season.”

One week later, the parade and lighting of the tree will happen in the downtown square in front of the visitors’ center on Dec. 5. Visitors may go for a run in Santa’s Dahlonega Dash 5K earlier in the day or visit with Santa Claus or listen to the Kurt Thomas Band after the parade. Each activity is family-friendly.

“A lot of it is just geared toward family fun and like that family atmosphere for celebrating Christmas year-round,” Iodice said.

For a full list of events, visit dahlonegachristmas.com.

IN WHITE COUNTY

The 15th annual Christmas in the Mountains Celebration and Lighted Parade will march through Cleveland at 5 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, at the Cleveland Courthouse Square. It is one of White County’s largest of the season.

Booths, activities and pictures with Santa will be part of the celebration.

“The purpose is to draw people to the downtown square and promote local business as well as for the community to come together and celebrate the holidays,” said Stacy Gable, the community outreach director.

The parade begins at 7 p.m. with floats ranging from musical ones and funny ones to religious floats. Marching groups, equestrian teams and animal units will participate in the parade as well.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

IN TOWNS COUNTY

The Towns County Sheriff’s Office Empty Stocking Christmas Parade will be from 5:30-7 p.m. Dec. 5.

The parade will start at the Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, 1311 Music Hall Road, in Hiawassee. It will consist of lights, candy, floats, smiles and Santa.

Following the parade, the city’s annual tree lighting will occur. Then Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet area children.

For more information, visit the event’s Facebook page.

IN HABERSHAM COUNTY

Clarkesville will host “A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas” from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 12.

Hosted by the Clarkesville Main Street Program, the city has held this Christmastime festival for six years with an average a turnout of 300 visitors.

Attendees may expect “a very festive, spirited night out in town,” program director Mary Beth Horton said, noting the lighting of the tree will occur that day. “I know this sounds cliche, but other people have said it before: With the tree and all the lights, we have like thousands of lights in town and they all come on, and it’s almost like the scene from a snow globe. “

For children, Santa Claus will be the main draw as he poses for free photos.

For adults, live entertainment such as caroling groups will spread songs of the season. “Windows at Woods” theatrical performance and a live nativity also is scheduled.

For those with a sweet tooth, smores, hot cocoa and apple cider will be available.

Stores on the square will extend their shopping hours Dec. 12 to accommodate the festival visitors and average Christmas shoppers.

The purpose of “A Downtown Clarkesville Christmas” “is to bring everybody into town, to bring attention to our businesses and restaurants, and just keep people local,” Horton said.  “It’s just a really down-home, feel-good kind of festive event. That sounds real cheesy, but that’s how it is.”

For more information, visit www.clarkesvillega.com.