Santa Parade And Tree Lighting This Weekend In North Andover

NORTH ANDOVER, MA — Ready to get into the holiday spirit after Thanksgiving? North Andover's Festival Committee is putting on two of their annual holiday events this weekend: the Santa Parade and the Tree Lighting Festival. The parade will be Saturday from noon to 1:30 p.m., and the festival Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. Both events received approval from the board of selectmen Monday.

The parade will start at the middle school, take Main Street to Elm, Elm to Water Street, and then back onto Main Street to Main & Sutton.

The tree lighting, on the Town Common, will feature free cookies, hot chocolate and hot dogs. Santa will make an appearance, and there will be music from the Real School of Music and the North Andover High School Chorus.

This year, they will also be collecting non-perishable food donations at the tree lighting, to be distributed to a local food pantry.

Christopher Huffaker can be reached at 412-265-8353 or chris.huffaker@patch.com.