photo by Traci K. McDonell/special to the News Sentinel From rooftops to street lamps and everywhere in between, downtown Knoxville will be all decked out for Christmas in the City festivities.

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Friday nights in late November and in December mean holiday festivities in downtown Knoxville and beyond. In Knoxville the time has come once again for the annual Christmas in the City celebration.

Christmas in the City kicks off Friday, Nov. 27, and continues through December with the third New Year's Eve arts-and-fun celebration called First Night Knoxville.

Christmas in the City is the umbrella tag for some 100 events and attractions held by the City of Knoxville, community groups, art organizations, churches and businesses from late November to New Year's. Most holiday-themed activities happen after Thanksgiving; kickoff is the 6 p.m. Nov. 27 Regal Celebration of Lights.

Celebration of Lights is at downtown's Market Square and the Krutch Park Extension along Gay Street. It's filled with the traditional activities associated with the holiday season.

Children can have their photos taken with Santa Claus and decorate cookies with Mrs. Claus. The Salvation Army will serve hot cocoa; Mayfield's Dairy will provide snow cream and eggnog. Free horse-drawn carriage rides will take people along downtown streets. There'll be holiday music.

The lights of a 38-foot artificial tree at the Krutch Park Extension will be turned on. The Knoxville skyline will light up with more holiday lights as the lights are turned on on more than 500 tree-shaped forms on the roofs of buildings.

The Celebration of Lights is preceded by the 5 p.m. Nov. 27 WDVX Holiday Ho-Ho-Ho Hoedown on Market Square. Freddy Smith and his Christmas Chicken will emcee. Hoedown performances include clogging and bluegrass music.

Knoxville's Holidays on Ice skating rink at Market Square opens for its fifth season Nov. 27. The rink is open through Jan. 3 except for Christmas Day.

Other Christmas in the City festivities during December include:

n The WIVK/Fowler Christmas Parade, 6:30 p.m. Dec. 4. The route starts from the Knoxville Civic Coliseum on Church Avenue. It turns right on Gay Street, then right on Summit Hill Drive, left on Central and Street and right on Jackson Avenue.

n Comcast Christmas at Chilhowee, 6 p.m, Dec. 11, at Chilhowee Park off Interstate 40's Exit 392. Includes holiday lights, photos with Santa Claus, cookie decorating with Mrs. Claus, music. Local musician Brad Blackwell performs. The event is free; the park open for nightly driving tours through Jan. 1.

n First Night Knoxville 2010, 7 p.m.-midnight Dec. 31, with 3-6 p.m. children's festival, downtown Knoxville and Market Square, outdoor and indoor entertainment, admission buttons $10 in advance, $15 day on event day.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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