With December upon us, one of the many anticipated Shepherdstown holiday treats is happening Saturday. The annual Christmas parade, sponsored by the Shepherdstown Rotary Club, will kick off at 10 a.m.

Traveling down German Street will be 73 entries featuring floats, animals, music, fire trucks and Santa – of course. The number of registered entries nearly ties a record 74 entries in 2015.

Some “new comers” this year will include, an antique fire engine being brought from Greencastle, Pennsylvania, the Eastern Panhandle Inter County Soccer Club, the St. Agnes Church Knights of Columbus, the 2017-18 WV Dairy Princess and the Women’s March group will be “marching” down the main street.

There will also be at least two candidates for the 23rd Circuit Court judgeship that’s up for election next year – David Hammer and Deborah McLaughlin – and one candidate for the Jefferson County Commission seat for the Harpers Ferry District, which is also up for election next year – Gary Cogle.

Musical talent will include the band from Shepherd University, Jefferson High and Shepherdstown Middle schools, as well as local favorites The Speakeasy Boys.

No Shepherdstown parade would be complete without dogs. This year the colorful New Market Middletown Valley Maryland Hounds will be back, bringing more hunting dogs and horses than before.

Directly following the parade, the Shepherdstown Middle School will maintain the annual band concert tradition in front of Town Hall. For a complete Christmas in Shepherdstown schedule, visit http://bit.ly/2zAVLl8.