KILGORE, Texas — On Tuesday evening, multiple Kilgore and surrounding area residents braced the cold temperatures to enjoy the city's annual Christmas parade.
The city hosted their 92nd annual parade and this year's theme was "Rockin' around the Christmas Tree".
President & CEO of the Kilgore Area Chamber of Commerce, Jill McCartney White, said their parade continues to grow every year.
"We take a lot of pride in producing this parade," White said. "It's one of the biggest, if not the biggest event in downtown Kilgore that we have throughout the year. We'll have anywhere between 6,000 to 10,000 people out here."
The downtown area was full of families ready to watch the over 100 parade float entries that brought their festive spirit.
Jefferson resident Marilyn McNeely has been traveling just under an hour for five years now to come watch the parade.
"I got here about an hour early because last year it was so crowded and we hardly found a place to sit," McNeely said. "They got that big air balloon (flames) that comes through and they pull the rope or something and it gets flames flying sky high. The kids hate it but I love it."
The roaring flames from the float enamored the entire crowd. Just like McNeely, many families have made it a tradition to come out to this annual event. Liberty City resident Tammi Truitt would bring her kids to the parade, but now she brings her grandchildren to enjoy the event.
"I look forward to the day that they get to be in it," Truitt said. "But right now it's just fun watching their eyes light up. Especially if the hot air balloons come by. That is amazing because we're all freezing and then we get warm and they get excited."
The parade was also full of live bands, Christmas characters like Santa Claus and even religious figures like Jesus Christ.
"Any opportunity that we have to put our town on our in a spotlight we want to do that," White said. "It continues to grow and grow as well as the crowd."