Officials with the Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau on Thursday revealed this year’s schedule of area Christmas events.

Parades

DeQuincy’s Christmas parade will begin at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, in downtown DeQuincy. It will be followed by a Christmas program at 6 p.m. at McNamara Park and fireworks at 7:30 p.m. at the ballpark.

Sulphur’s Kiwanis Christmas Balloons on Parade will begin at 6 p.m. Dec. 5. Giant balloons and floats will proceed down Cypress Street, coinciding with the Christmas Under the Oaks Festival and Holiday House.

The Light Up the Lake Christmas Lighting Festival street parade in downtown Lake Charles will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Lake Charles Civic Center. Other free activities include the Lighted Boat Parade at 6:30 p.m. at the seawall. Fireworks will begin at 7:15 p.m.

The Starks Christmas Parade will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 6 and will end at VFW Post 4759. Gumbo will be available.

The Vinton Christmas Parade will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, in downtown Vinton, followed by family-friendly activities, a gumbo cook-off and a visit from Santa Claus.

The Westlake Christmas parade will be at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. Iowa’s Christmas Parade will be at 4 p.m. on the same day followed by Christmas in the Park at 5 p.m. at Lawrence Toups Memorial Park Pavilion with a chili cook-off, Christmas tree display and concert. The Moss Bluff Christmas Parade will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 13.

Lake Charles

The city of Lake Charles will hold its Handmade Christmas Card Workshop during December at Historic City Hall Arts & Cultural Center. All ages are welcome to apply. Participants may use crayons, water colors, markers and other media. All materials will be available. Students in Calcasieu Parish are invited to contribute their handmade cards as class projects. At the center, children may also write a letter to Santa Claus.

The handmade cards will be delivered to the Calcasieu Council on Aging for distribution to area nursing home residents.

On exhibit throughout the holiday season are “Everything Santa,” a private collection; “David Hockney: Six Fairy Tales”; “Two Points of View” by Leslie and Michael Elliottsmith; and “The surReality Show” by television production students at Lake Charles-Boston Academy of Learning.

Historic City Hall is at 1001 Ryan St. Gallery hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. There is no admission fee. The Charlestown Farmers Market is open on Bilbo Street behind the building 8 a.m.-noon each Saturday.

Santa Claus will be at the annual Light up the Lake Christmas Celebration at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. Local groups will join Santa on a journey from Mill Street, south on Ryan and ending at Seventh Street.

Eight-year-old Carter King Sarro, a Prien Lake Elementary student, will be grand marshal. Carter represents the Up-4-Downs organization, which provides support for people with Down syndrome. Carter is the son of Rick and Melanie Sarro.

Santa’s Workshop will be 2-5 p.m. — in the Exhibition Hall for small children and in the coliseum for ages 6-12. There will be games, food and activities. The Community Band Christmas concert will be at 3:30 p.m. on the mezzanine.

The lighting ceremony will be at 5 p.m. on the front lawn; the Barbe Show Choir will perform. Carter Sarro will help Mayor Randy Roach flip the switch at 6 p.m. to light up the ornaments at the Civic Center entrance.

The lighted boat parade will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Lakefront Promenade.

For more information, call 491-9147 or visit www.cityoflakecharles.com.

Sulphur

Festival dates are Friday-Saturday, Dec. 5-6, with shopping available 10 a.m.-8:30 p.m. at the Holiday House. The Holiday House will have a preview party 6:30-9:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 4; advance tickets are $40.

Carnival rides will begin at 4 p.m. Friday and will run noon-10 p.m. Saturday. On Friday, the lighted balloon parade will begin at 6 p.m. on Cypress Street.

Rusty Metoyer & Zydeco Krush will perform 7-8:30 p.m. Friday; Brandon Ledet will perform at 8:45 p.m. Carol Hollier & the Crowley Playboys will perform 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday; Louisiana Express will perform 4-5:30 p.m. Cold Sweat will play 6:30-7:45 p.m., and the Kadillacs will go on at 8 p.m.

In addition, Saturday is the traditional lighting of the tree, with snow falling at 6 p.m.

The Mines Theatre group will present “A Christmas Carol” at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 29, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 30, in W.W. Lewis Auditorium, 1752 Cypress St. The Mines Children’s Theatre will perform “Too Wrapped Up for Christmas” at 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7 and 14, at the Old School Community Center, 565 N. Crocker St.

For more information on Christmas events, call the Henning Cultural Center at 527-0357. For details on entertainment, call the city at 527-4500 or visit www.sulphur.org.

Moss Bluff

The Ward 1 Economic Development Board and the Moss Bluff Civic Club will sponsor the Moss Bluff Christmas Parade at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. The parade will begin at the high school and follow the route for homecoming — behind the high school, to Telephone Road, Parish Road and back to the high school. Lineup will begin at 1 p.m. at Sam Houston High.

For more information, visit www.mossbluff.webs.com or www.mossbluffcivicclub.webs.com.

DeQuincy

The DeQuincy Chamber of Commerce’s Christmas lighted parade will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, followed by Christmas in the Park at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 7:30 p.m.

Christmas at the Railroad Museum, at 400 Lake Charles Ave., will be Dec. 5-31. It will feature thousands of exterior lights and multiple indoor trees.

Iowa

The Iowa Women’s League will present Christmas in the Park on Saturday, Dec. 13, beginning with a parade at 4 p.m.

The parade will start at the VF mall and continue along Thomson Avenue and end at Iowa City Park.

Christmas in the Park will be at 5 p.m. at the Lawrence Toups Memorial Park Pavilion, 115 N. Thomson Ave. Cookies and soft drinks will be served; a chili cook-off will be held. The program will include a concert, the lighting of the Christmas tree and a visit from Santa.

There will be decorated trees created by various organizations to view 5-11 p.m. throughout December at the park pavilion.

Westlake

The Westlake Christmas Festival will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 13. The parade will roll down Sampson Street.

The Rotary Club of Westlake will host breakfast with Santa Claus 8-11 a.m. Dec. 13 in the Masonic Temple, at 1114 Sampson St. The cost is $3 for children and $5 for adults.

Starks

The Starks Christmas Parade will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. It will end at VFW Post 4759. Gumbo will be available.

Vinton

The Vinton Christmas Parade will be at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 12, downtown, followed by family-friendly activities, a gumbo cook-off and a visit from Santa Claus.

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Online: www.visitlakecharles.org/cajunchristmas.light-up-lake

Rick Hickman