Wylie residents looking for some ho, ho, holiday fun this December should mark down the first weekend of December for events that even Santa himself won’t miss.

The annual Wylie Christmas Parade and Tree Lighting will take place at 6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4, in downtown Wylie. The parade, which will proceed down Ballard Avenue through the downtown area, begins at 6 p.m. and is sponsored by The Cross Church. 

Following the conclusion of the parade, there will be a tree lighting in Olde City Park, which is located at 112 S. Ballard Ave.

According to the city, Mayor Matthew Porter will read “The Night Before Christmas” and the Wylie High School Tempo Choir will perform holiday songs and carols.

Additionally, those looking to get a locally made Christmas gift can peruse the offerings of the Wylie Arts Festival Saturday, Dec. 3, at The Cross Church Event Center, which is located at 200 N. Ballard Ave. The event is free to the public and will feature fair food and free kids activities. Admission to the fair is also free for the event that begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 4 p.m.

According to information posted about the event, there will be over 160 vendors located inside and outside of the event center.

Immediately following the arts festival at 4 p.m., the Kansas City Southern Railroad’s Holiday Express will make a stop at Oak Street Crossing, located at the corner of Birmingham Avenue and Oak Street. The event is free to anyone interested in touring the train and it will stay until everyone has had an opportunity to climb aboard, according to information provided by the city.