As temperatures cool and school and work activities slow, Christmas events in Atmore will be on the rise over the next week in anticipation of the big day, now only weeks away.

Downtown Atmore is already ablaze with rooftop lights and lit up raindear that seem to soar over mainstreet, and just down the road, Heritage Park has decked the halls in anticipations of Tuesday’s An Evening with Santa at Heritage Park event.

Sponsored by Frontier Communications, the event will Feature Santa Claus himself, ready and willing to take pictures with local children and hear their last minute Christmas wishes. Santa will be available from 4:30 until 7 p.m., with Hursh Photography taking photographs at Watson Cabin. There is no charge for children to come see Santa, but photo packages will be available for purchase. Prizes and refreshments will also be available at no charge.

The Christmas fun continues Thursday with the fourth annual Jingle Bell Walk, sponsored by the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce.

From 4 until 7 p.m. businesses throughout downtown Atmore will stay open later, providing sale items and goodies for those choosing to take advantage of some home town holiday shopping. Special entertainment will also be provided throughout the downtown area by the chamber of commerce.

Friday night will mark the beginning of the Christmas parade weekend in the Atmore area as the Poarch Band of Creek Indians will get their annual Christmas parade underway at 5:30 p.m., when floats vying for the top three awards as they begin their journey from the Poarch Wellness gymnasium to the PCI Health Department, tossing out free Christmas treats along the way.

The parades will continue Saturday night as Atmore unveils this year’s Twilight Christmas Parade.

The parade will begin with this year’s theme, “Christmas Around the World,” at 5:30 p.m. at Atmore City Hall and will travel down Ridgeley Street, to Main Street, heading south to Lindberg Avenue and ending at Escambia County High School. Christmas goodies will also be flung from Atmore’s floats as participants compete for awards and cash prizes.

For more information on upcoming events, contact the Atmore Area Chamber of Commerce.