Christmas will be in the air this weekend as the community rolls in the holidays with parties, parades, caroling and a holiday train.

The weekend of events will get started at 8 p.m. Friday with the 34th annual Vicksburg Art Association Christmas party at the Old Constitution Firehouse. Hosts Mickey and Jaynie Fedell will deck the halls with pirate goods from area businesses and merchants to help get participants in the spirit. The event, a fundraiser for the association, will include a silent auction of works by local artists.

Saturday’s festivities will get rolling early with the Port Gibson Christmas Parade on Main Street at 10 a.m. Area singers will sound off with carols at 1 p.m. on the first of four days in the V105.5 Christmas Caroling Contest, which will be at the Warren Central High School auditorium. At least 12 performers in various categories will sing holiday tunes, competing for a portion of $5,000 in prize money. The competition will continue at 2 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, with the finals at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 8.

Just before nightfall, Vicksburg revelers will line Washington Street for the Vicksburg Downtown Christmas Parade of Lights, the third nighttime Christmas parade sponsored by Main Street and the Vicksburg Jaycees.

&#8220With the floats being illuminated, it gives a neat effect you don’t get with a daytime parade,” said Main Street assistant director Erin Hern.

The Living Room, 1511 Washington St., will serve refreshments and feature Santa Claus from 3 to 5 p.m., before the parade starts.

Since as early as September, participants have been decorating the 63 floats that will cruise north along Washington Street from Belmont to Jackson streets, beginning at 5 p.m.

The competing floats will be clad in everything from holly and garland to fairy tale and movie characters, fitting with this year’s theme, One Enchanted Evening. Three judges will decide which floats take away distinction as Best in Show, Best Business, Best Nonprofit or Most Original.

As bands march, dancers twirl and motorcycles rev through downtown, onlookers will have a taste of the chilly weather that is on its way. The National Weather Service forecasts a low of 32 degrees Saturday evening.

After the parade, &#8220snow” is in the forecast at the Ware House, a hotel and lounge scheduled to open spring 2007. Owners Robert Ware and Todd Molino will have an Open House – complete with falling snow – to give a sneak peek of the hotel lobby. Hern said Washington Street will be blocked off from South to Crawford streets.

Holiday spirit will be aplenty Sunday, when little ballerinas take to the stage to perform the Christmas classic, &#8220The Nutcracker,” at 2 p.m. Dancers with Vicksburg Dance Studio will transform into Sugar Plum Fairies and other characters on the stage at Vicksburg High School. The Christmas cheer will continue at 4 p.m. when Kansas City Southern’s Holiday Express arrives at the KCS Yard at 2105 Levee St. Children will meet and greet Santa and his elves in the caboose before touring the three holiday display cars complete with festive music and lights.