GROVES — Christmas carols and bright twinkling lights filled Celebration Park marking the official beginning of the holiday season in Groves on Thursday.

Teacher Brittany Perry led the Groves Elementary School Choir fifth-graders through classic holiday songs as the students’ family members crowded close, cell phones poised, to capture the moment.

Students Chloe Reynolds and Lillian Nutt performed a duo of the song “Oh Christmas Tree” before Mayor Brad Bailey welcomed the audience and Joey Latiolais, 11, flipped the switch and lit the 20-foot tall balsam fir tree.

Santa Claus made a stop by the park to pose for photos with eager children during the event.

The tree lighting is usually held on the first Friday of December but with Port Neches-Groves Indians headed to the 5A Division II Region III semifinals Friday night at Stallworth Stadium in Baytown, the event was moved up a day.

There’s plenty of other local events to help you celebrate the holiday season:

Saturday, Dec. 1

• Christmas on the Avenue — The fun starts at 2 p.m. Saturday on Boston Avenue near the Windmill.

There will be ice skating, a “snow” mazing maze, petting zoo, holiday scavenger hunt, Still Crusin’ will perform. The tree lighting ceremony will be at 6 p.m. with Santa and snow to follow.

• The Annual Port Neches Christmas Parade is set for 2 p.m. Saturday.

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  Santa Claus holds Cannon Osborne, left, and Remmington Osbourne, right, during the annual Groves Christmas Tree Lighting event at Celebration Park in Groves on Thursday.
  Mary Meaux/The News

The parade starts at Port Neches Avenue and ends at Port Neches Riverfront Park. located at 620 Grigsby.

Lineup begins at 12:30 p.m.

• The 2018 Groves Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Center Lighted Christmas parade is set for 6 p.m. Saturday.

Lineup for the parade will begin at 5 p.m. Participants must enter at the corner of Cleveland and terrell.

The parade begins at 39th Street at Cleveland Avenue, heads west on 39th street, then travels down 39th Street to Gulf Avenue where the parade ends after making a right turn onto Gulf Avenue. For more information, call the Groves Chamber at 962-3631.

Thursday, Dec. 6

• Nederland Chamber’s Annual Lighted Christmas Parade will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Due to the road construction on 12th street and Boston Avenue, the parade route has changed. The parade will begin at Nederland Avenue and 21st street, proceed down Nederland Avenue to 14th street and turn left and left again on Boston Avenue. It will end at Central Middle School on 17th street.

Saturday, Dec. 8

• The City of Port Arthur will host its Annual Cultural Lighted Holiday Parade at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8.

Lineup begins at 4:30 p.m.

The procession will begin at Lamar State College Port Arthur and progress down Procter Street ending at Houston Avenue.