The Natchez Downtown Development Association has one set of lighted decorations, valued at $1,000, available for a float this year’s Christmas parade.

After much discussion among parade planners, it was decided that the decorations could be raffled off in order to help offset some of the cost of putting on the parade.

Although this year’s theme is Christmas Around the World, many of the same floats bearing teddy bears, tin soldiers and wrapped packages will still roll among the other themed floats.

This is a great opportunity for anyone who has ever wished to participate in the parade, but didn’t have a way to put a nice float together, to do so.

The tickets are $50 each and may be purchased by any individual, business or organization.

We will be drawing the winner’s name on Friday, Nov. 28, so that those who don’t win will still have ample time to create a float that keeps with this year’s theme, and enter it in the parade.

If you have already picked up your registration form, we urge you to please get them back to the NDDA office no later than Wednesday, Nov. 26, and if you are planning to enter a float and have not yet picked up a registration form, we encourage you to do so in a timely manner.

We would like to have an idea of how many entrants there will be, as this year we are numbering the entries so that we can select winning designs that participate in the parade.

There will be three categories in which winners will be selected, and they are most original concept, best design, and best seasonal (the one that really says Christmas).

Prizes will be awarded to the winner in each category.

For more information or to obtain a registration form, please call Darrell White at 601-445-0728, or me at 601-442-2929.

The parade is only two weeks away so please hurry and register.

Carrie Lambert is the director of the Natchez Downtown Development Association.