GREEN COVE SPRINGS – The 54th Annual Christmas Parade attracts hundreds of visitors to see the brightly lit display of themed floats, dancing and flag twirling, marching bands and of course, Santa Claus and his reindeer friends.

This year’s parade, “A Super Hero Christmas,” will be held on Dec. 3 from 6-8 p.m. The parade starts at the intersection of Houston Street and Orange Avenue at the Clay County Courthouse, and it will proceed south on Orange until it does a U-turn at Walnut and travels back to the courthouse.

“A person who lives on either side of (Orange Avenue), they have to know about the parade because people will be parking in front of their driveways and blocking the roads, so we have to hang something on their doorknobs so they don’t get stuck and can’t get out of their house, or can’t get in their driveway, or they can’t get back onto (State Road) 16, but we do have another route that’s open. That’s all explained on the doorknob hanger,” said Green Cove Springs Business League President Brandon Bascelli.

The day-long holiday celebration actually starts at 2 p.m. with Christmas on Walnut. That event attracts many food trucks, craft vendors, a children’s’ zone and live entertainment, and it includes a visit from Santa at his workshop (organized by Elks Lodge No. 1892) in the Spring Park Pool Pavilion where he will spend a few hours hearing children’s wish lists.

The day continues with a one-mile Jingle Bell Fun Run organized by the Clay Striders ahead of the parade.

Green Cove Springs isn’t the only municipality celebrating the holidays.

Orange Park will turn on the holiday lights at Town Hall, 2042 Park Ave., from 5-6 p.m. on Dec. 6. The Hometown Holiday will be celebrated on Dec. 9-10 from 5-9 p.m. at the Clarke House, 1039 Kingsley Ave. Clarke House Park will be bursting with holiday cheer, with tours of the decorated house, classic holiday movies on the outdoor big screen, live music, shopping in the Christmas village, food vendors, a lighted trail ride and the opportunity to purchase a photo with Santa.

The town then will its Firetruck Parade with Santa Claus on Dec. 16 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Concert on the Green will present its Cocoa and Carols on Dec. 16 from 5-8 p.m. at River Road and Kingsley Avenue. More than a dozen Clay County schools are scheduled to perform the sounds of the season – and residents can watch the Firetruck Parade from the event, and free gift wrapping will be available, along with additional entertainment and holiday vendors.

The Keystone Heights Holiday Extravaganza will be on Dec. 11 from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. downtown at the Theme Park and Keystone Beach. Vendors and food trucks will open at 10 a.m., followed by live music from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The Kiwanis Christmas Parade will start at 6 p.m. along Lawrence Boulevard, while Christmas cartoons and “Santa Claus: The Movie” will be at Keystone Beach, starting at 7:30 p.m.

In Green Cove Springs, from 5 p.m. to approximately 8:15 p.m., access to Orange Avenue will be closed from Governors Street to Idlewild Avenue (S.R. 16) on Saturday. Residential and business traffic will be diverted on the east side of Orange Avenue at the corner of St. Johns Avenue and Grove Street. The city’s police department will be using Magnolia Avenue as an emergency service route if needed. The department asks that no cars be parked along that street during the parade.

Another detour for thru traffic will be on Cypress Avenue, so there is no parking on that roadway, either.

GCSPD said if you are attending the Christmas Parade, expect high volumes of traffic. To avoid peak traffic timing, please come an hour early and carpooling is suggested.

Free parking is available at:

• Vystar Credit Union, 601 Orange Ave.

• Clay County Supervisor of Elections, 500 Orange Ave.

• The vacant Lot between Burger King and U-Haul between Park Street and Orange Avenue

• First Presbyterian Church, 300 Gum St.

• Wells Fargo Bank, 425 Orange Ave.

• Vallencourt Constructions, 449 Center St.

• City Parking Lot Behind Sweet Sensations, Palmer Street and Palmetto Avenue.

• Clay Theatre, 326 Walnut St.

• City Parking Lot across from City Hall, Springs Street and Palmetto Avenue

• Handicap parking at City Hall, 321 Walnut St.

• Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 207 Palmetto Ave.

“There are over 80 entries that are spending a lot of time and effort to make their entry look special for people and kids to enjoy. We hope all kids and families will come check out the Christmas On Walnut Street that happens earlier in the day at Spring Park and then get to enjoy the Parade, which is the second largest event in Clay County,” Bascelli said.

The Green Cove Springs Business League organized this year’s event with help from the City and the GCS Police Department, and of course, an amazing team of volunteers tasked with escorting floats to the staging area, directing traffic to permittable lots, and monitoring the parade route.

In addition to volunteers, there will be officers at every street intersection blocking the street both ways so cars cannot enter.

“Brandon (Bascelli) has really honed in on all these little things that we do each year, and every year we find something new that we have to pay special attention to,” said Business League Vice President, Cheryl Starnes. “A lot of people say, ‘oh, they’re having a parade,’ but they don’t realize that it takes all year to plan it. It takes the police station, the city hall, the city management, the light and electric people to turn the stop lights off. You have to go to the Department of Transportation to get the roads closed, and that in itself takes a couple of months to process.” Bascelli agreed. “We’re so thankful to everyone. It takes somewhere between 50 and 70 volunteers to keep the roads closed, blocked off.”

Bascelli said to remember to thank the volunteers and police who make the roads safe for all of us to enjoy during this year’s Green Cove Springs Christmas Parade. If you want to volunteer or join the Christmas Parade Committee, please go to www.GCSBL.com/parade or follow the Green Cove Springs Business League on Facebook.