TEXAS CITY – The annual Christmas Parade will make its way through town this Thursday, December 4, beginning at 5:30 p.m. City officials say the parade will start at Palmer Highway and Phoenix Lane, near the Nessler Park Complex, before traveling down Palmer to 6th Street and ending at 6th Street and 5th Avenue North.

The parade has been a long-running holiday tradition in Texas City for more than four decades. In recent years, competition among entries has intensified with the introduction of cash prizes for top-scoring floats.

This year’s theme is “A Gingerbread Christmas,” and awards will be given in several categories, including Best of Theme ($500), Mayor’s Choice ($400), and $300 prizes for church groups, marching bands, businesses, and individual entries.

Parade organizers note that participants must register ahead of time to be eligible for awards. For safety reasons, candy cannot be thrown along the route.

More information, including registration details, is available on the City of Texas City’s website at texascitytx.gov.

Photo credit: City of Texas City