NATCHEZ — Hot chocolate, Christmas carols and a giant tree — it really is beginning to look a lot like Christmas.

The downtown Christmas tree lighting begins at 4:30 p.m. Friday with a blessing from the Rev. David O’Connor followed by a proclamation by Mayor Jake Middleton.

Natchez Downtown Development Director Carrie Lambert said the Frazier Primary School children will sing as will the Natchez High School choir.

Actors from the Natchez Little Theatre will perform an excerpt from “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” too.

Once the tree is lit, Lambert said the crowd will be encouraged to sing Christmas carols and then Santa will arrive.

The event will conclude with hot chocolate and cookies.

The Christmas parade is 6 p.m. on Saturday beginning at Rosalie.

Lambert said the parade route will go down Canal Street to Main Street, where it will take a right and travel up to Union Street, where it will take a left and follow to Franklin Street.

After taking a left on Franklin, it will head toward the bluff, ending at Callon Petroleum.

Lambert said approximately 12 merchant floats are participating in the parade, all of which will be lit.

Lambert said the grand marshal leading the parade is the Snow Queen, whose identity she said will be revealed the evening of the parade.

The theme of the parade is “Around the World,” she said.

“It’s going to be a lot of fun seeing what people choose to decorate their floats,” she said.

Darrell White, who is organizing the parade this year, said roughly 12 applications for individual floats have come in at this point.

He said he is still accepting applications and will continue to until Friday afternoon.

“We’re looking for more community input and participation,” he said.

Applications can be picked up and turned in at the Natchez Convention Center.

Across the river, the Vidalia parade is at 3 p.m. Sunday and the Ferriday parade is 10 a.m. Saturday.