Christmas is in the air. In anticipation of the holiday, parades and other events will be held in three different parts of the county.

The Tri-Cities Christmas Parade will be held on Friday at 4 p.m. in downtown Cumberland. This year’s theme will be O’Christmas Tree. The grand marshal of the parade will be Walter Dick. Awards to be given are the Jingle Bell, Elfin Magic, Glory of Angels and Knock Your Stocking Off.

The Harlan Christmas Parade will be held on Saturday at 6 p.m. in downtown Harlan. This year’s theme will be A Magical Christmas. The grand marshals of the parade will be Harlan County coal miners. Awards to be give are best children’s float (first and second), best religious float (first and second), best theme, Chamber of Commerce Award, Harlan Daily Enterprise Award, best scouting group (first and second) and grand prize winner. The awards ceremony will be held after the parade, tentatively, at 7:30 p.m. Robyn’s Dance Academy will be performing before the awards ceremony at the center.

The Evarts Christmas Parade will be held on Sunday at 2 p.m. in downtown Evarts. This year’s theme will be A Christmas Wish. The grand marshal of the parade will be Margaret Robbins. Awards to be given are grand prize winner, first, second and third.

Harlan County Community Action Agency will be providing two shuttle vans for the Harlan Christmas parade to assist people parking at the Joe Gilley Athletic Complex. Pickup will be from 5 to 8 p.m. to and from The Commissary and complex.

The route of the Harlan parade will begin at the Harlan Baptist Church on Main Street, then proceeding down Main to Clover Street. The parade will then travel all the way up Clover to Harlan Elementary School, turning onto Williams Street. The procession will then turn down Central Street, making a right turn onto First Street. The final route of the parade will be a left turn onto Mound Street, arriving back at the Harlan Baptist Church on Main.

Shopping will be available in downtown Harlan with several businesses staying open before and during the parade.

There will be no parking on Main, Clover or Central Streets in downtown Harlan the day of the parade.

After the Harlan Christmas parade, a coal rally will be held at the old T.L. Bayne Building in Harlan. This rally is being sponsored by Coal is Our Future.

A coal art exhibit entitled “Coal In Our Veins” will be held on Friday at the Depot from 5 to 8 p.m. This exhibit is being sponsored by the Harlan County Photography Guild, Harlan County Historical Society and the Harlan County Cooperative Extension Agency.