After days and weeks of anticipation, the date and time for Hartselle’s Annual Christmas Parade are almost here.

The highly popular holiday event will take place in the Central Business District on Thursday at 7 p.m.

Sponsored by Hartselle Kiwanis Club, the rush is on to sign up for the two-mile long string of floats, marching bands, dancers, beauty queens, antique cars, emergency vehicles and riders on horses. Of course, Santa will show up for the ride and will bring along his elves to distribute candy to kids all along the parade route.

“We have more than 50 organizations and individuals signed up to participate,” said a spokesperson for Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce on Friday, “and we’re expecting applications to continue to come in through Dec. 12.”

Parade applications are available at the Chamber office on Railroad Street, or may be accessed on the Chamber’s website.

The parade will assemble in the J.P. Cain Stadium parking lot, where float entries will be judged an hour before the parade starts. Shortly before 7 p.m., parade units will begin moving north on Railroad Street, turning west on Main and south on Corsbie, disbanding in old Walmart shopping center. An exception will be riders on horses. They will be asked to return to the point where they joined the parade.

Parade goers will have the best view of the parade from Hickory to Main and Main to Corsbie.