(Yuba-Sutter, CA) – Big doings in Marysville this weekend, as the Gateway to the Goldfield’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony is scheduled for this Friday, followed Saturday by the annual Marysville Christmas Parade that evening.

This year’s parade theme is ‘A Very Griswold Christmas’ and will include Santa himself, sitting atop a Marysville Fire Department ladder truck, as his elves will be busy handing out candy-canes to onlookers. As well, The Appeal-Democrat reports this year’s Grand Marshal will be “Heather Thompson, past owner of The Brick Coffeehouse Café and current president for the Marysville Business Alliance.”

The lighting ceremony takes place Friday afternoon at 5:30 at the corner of 3rd and D Streets. Then, Saturday it’s all about the parade itself, starting at 5:00 in downtown Marysville at 6th and D Streets. It then turns south to 2nd and D Streets, and finally, eastbound on 2nd Street, making a turn northbound to C Street. The parade ends at 5th and C Streets.

And there are still open slots to join the 75 entries, with more expected. Interested parties may still apply at: marysville.ca.us. The fee is $25 for non-profits, and The Appeal-Democrat reports “Commercial businesses and organizations that don’t possess an active IRS nonprofit status will need to pay a fee of $50. Organizers said a late fee of $50 will be applied to all applications received through Thursday.”