Plans are in place for the staging of the annual Lewis County Chamber of Commerce Christmas parade, an event organizers say signifies the start of the holiday shopping season and the arrival of Santa Claus in the county.

Hundreds upon hundreds of spectators are expected in downtown Weston for the 6 p.m. start today in this centrally located community.

More than 50 entries including several floats will form the parade field, which will begin lining up for the holiday activity at 4:30 p.m. at the Robert L. Bland Middle School parking lot.

The Chamber's parade committee has selected "Cartoon Christmas" as the theme for the 2009 event.

The top three floats will be presented with plaques as judged by a three-member panel. Floats will be judged on use of the parade theme, creativity, lighting and clarity.

The arrival of Santa Claus will be among the parade highlights. Santa and Mrs. Claus will greet paradegoers from atop the Weston Volunteer Fire Department ladder truck. Parade entrants are advised that Santa and Mrs. Claus on the fire truck will be the "only" Santa appearing in the parade.

The Chamber Parade Committee is asking motorists not to park along Main Avenue from Third Street to Center Avenue at the "triangle" during the parade to assure a larger area for parade entrants to travel the parade route.

The parade will proceed from the RLBMS parking lot west on Fourth Street to Main Avenue, south on Main Avenue to Center Avenue and north on Center Avenue back to the school area.

Parade units are asked to arrive at the rear of RLBMS next to H&M Motors to gain access to the parking lot and lineup.

The school gate at the RLBMS/Fourth Street intersection will be closed to vehicular traffic prior to the parade.

The Weston Volunteer Fire Department, under the direction of Chief Mike Young, will be in charge of the parade lineup.

Units will be given a specific time to arrive at the field to be placed in the parade lineup.