Though it hasn’t been done every year, Linden businesswoman Nikki Lambert couldn’t let Christmas go by without a Christmas parade, so the floats and other attractions will line up this Saturday for the Linden Christmas Parade.

“We had one last year, but the guy who ran it said ‘never again,'” Lambert said. “I felt like we needed one, especially us in the retail business. So I took it upon myself to put one together.”

Lambert said she has spent the last two weeks organizing the event, and said she has had a great response to it.

“Last year the parade had to be postponed because of rain, so it was moved to the next weekend. Hardly anyone showed up for it,” she said. “This year we have around 30 entries.”

She said the parade would serve two purposes, entertainment and attraction.

“We’ll have floats and football teams, we’ll have dance teams and a DJ on a float playing Christmas music,” Lambert said. “But we’re also hoping that the parade will give a boost to retail business.”

Lambert said the parade will hopefully attract people from Linden and the surrounding area to the downtown area of Linden, and to the stores that line Main Street.

“While people are lining the sidewalks to watch the parade, they might come in and do some of their last minute shopping,” she said.

Lambert runs Radio Shack in Linden, and she said a lot of the stores downtown are hosting special sales for the event.

The parade, which includes more than 30 entries, will feature the Demopolis High School Championship Football team and cheerleaders, as well as many of the pee wee football teams and cheerleaders.

“The Linden football team will be there and other area football teams,” she said. “There won’t be any marching bands, though. Because it’s so close to Christmas the bands couldn’t participate,” she said. She said there would not be a lack of music though, as a D.J. would provide holiday tunes for everyone’s enjoyment.

“We’ll also have the Demopolis Tiger Cubs, the Demopolis Riding Club and Miss Christmas on the River is supposed to be here,” she said. “Santa Claus has been contacted and he will be on the fire truck, and there will be food vendors by the Gazebo in town.”

Lambert said the parade will begin on Shiloh Street. The route will take participants one block over to Coats Street, turn onto Main Street and follow Main Street to the Depot.

Those participating in the parade are asked to begin lining up at 10 a.m., and the parade will begin at 11.