GEARS is gearing up for a fun holiday season with the annual Elizabethtown holiday parade and visits from Santa.

Families are invited to join Santa for story time at the Elizabethtown Public Library, 10 S. Market St., from 6 to 7 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Nov. 30 through Dec. 21. Santa will be available for visits with children on those same evenings from 7 to 8 p.m. as well as on Friday, Dec. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays, Dec. 11 and 18, from noon to 2 p.m.

Families can also visit with Santa following the parade, which will begin at 4 p.m. on Dec. 11. The theme of this year's parade is "Hometown Holidays."

The parade will spotlight the joy of the holidays in small towns and will mark a return to a traditional parade after last year's reverse parade held on the Elizabethtown Fairgrounds.

"The parade is always very well attended," said Karen Eberly, senior program coordinator for GEARS. "We have judges who give out prizes, and we get a variety of participants. It's a fun way to spend a Saturday."

The parade will travel on Market Street from West Bainbridge Street to Winnemore and Mechanics alleys.

Although the parade won't have bands this year, since local high schools have opted out due to the pandemic, it will still feature a variety of elements, Eberly noted. "We'll have lots of awesome floats," she stated. "If you like parades, you definitely need to come out for this one." Participants will include local businesses and organizations, churches, Scout troops and the Elizabethtown Fire Department. The parade is sponsored by T-Mobile.

"It's going to be a lot of fun, and it's a great way to start your holiday season," Eberly said.

Sponsors and participants are still being accepted for the parade. For more information, contact Lee Eckert, program coordinator, at 717-367-0355 or leeeckert@getintogears.org.