Kick off holiday with West Chester Parade

The holiday season officially starts tonight with the annual West Chester Christmas Parade.

The QVC West Chester Christmas parade, hosted by the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, will take place Friday, Dec. 1 in West Chester at 7:15 p.m. About 40,000 people are expected.

USA Today has called West Chester’s Christmas celebration “one of the top 10 places to experience the arrival of Santa Claus during the holiday season.”

DNB First will have a booth in the Holiday Village where employees will be ringing the bell for the Salvation Army, and handing out hand warmers.

The parade will start at New and Market streets, before traveling east on Market Street. From there, the parade will head north on Matlack Street, then west on Gay Street, and finally, finish south down New Street.

Schedule of events:

5-8 p.m. – Holiday Village at High Street between Gay and Market streets;

5:30 p.m. – Registration for Jingle Elf Run atChester County Running Store, 24 S. High Street;

6:30 p.m – Jingle Elf Run, start/finish line at E. Market Street between High and Walnut streets;

7:05 p.m. – Jingle Elf Run awards at main stage at High and Market streets; 6:45 p.m. – Tree lighting at High and Market streets.

Street closures on Friday, Dec. 1:

• High Street between Gay and Market streets will close at 10 a.m.;

• W. Market Street between New Street and Bradford Avenue will be closed 3-10 p.m. (staging area).

The following streets will be closed 5-9:30 p.m.:

• Gay Street between Matlack and New street;

• Market Street between Matlack and Bradford Avenue;

• Walnut Street between Chestnut and Miner streets;

• High Street between Chestnut and Miner streets;

• Church Street between Chestnut and Market streets;

• Darlington Street between Chestnut Street and Wollerton Alley.

• New Street between Chestnut and Market streets.

SUBMITTED PHOTO There will be plenty of marching bands at the QVC West Chester Christmas Parade on Friday, Dec. 1.