NORWICH — The holiday season will kick off in style with the traditional Chobani Holiday of Lights Parade, beginning at 6 p.m., November 29, starting in front of the NBT building at 52 South Broad Street and ending on Fair Street in Norwich.

“We are so blessed that this is the 30th year of the holiday of lights parade, sponsored by Chobani,” said Event Coordinator Mindy Chawgo.

She noted they will have 100 local businesses from Chenango County and surrounding counties, churches, fire departments, school clubs, equine groups, and families leading Santa to his igloo and said the community parade is all about tradition.

“The tradition of being able to gather for the holiday, making it a day of shopping local downtown and finishing the evening bundled up, snuggling with family members at the side of the road to see all of the hard work our amazing people of our community and surrounding communities have put into bringing us the most beautiful light show you could ever see,” said Chawgo.

At the end of the parade, Santa will be led to his igloo and kids will have a chance to share their wish list. Santa's hours will continue from 1 to 4 p.m., on Saturdays, December 6, 13, and 20 and following the 6:30 p.m. tree lighting ceremony on Dec 4.

“It's an evening about celebrating what's good and what's great in our world today,” Chawgo continued, “And it's a night just to sit there and live in the moment of everything magical, isn't that what holidays are all about?”

NBT will have a station outside at their headquarters on South Broad St., offering cocoa and cookies, starting at 4 p.m., Rose Rig will be in the East Park, serving up holiday spirit and Kandi's Kitchen will serve comfort foods.

She said Kauffmanns Builders offered a shed to house holiday goodies for sale, such as wreaths, maple syrup, honey, and baked goods and Chobani will hand out free yogurt.

“Chobani will be giving out 5,000 cases of free yogurt as a thank you to the community for the support they have shown to their business and their mission,” said Chawgo.

“It's a complete holiday experience,” she added.

Participants in the parade will be local officials; City of Norwich Mayor Doliver, Mayor elect Robert Jeffries, and Former Mayor Shawn Sastri, the Norwich Police Department, Norwich Fire Department, Chobani, Mirabito Energy Products, McDonough Fire Department, Sherburne Police Department, Don Snow Trucking, GHS Federal Credit Union, Calvery Baptist Church, UHS-Chenango Memorial Hospital, NBT Bank, The Impact Project, Unadilla Valley CSD Transportation Department, Northeast Classic Car Museum 1966, Norwich FFA, NYS Veterans Home in Oxford, Matthews Ford, Sherburne-Earlville Girlscouts, RTG, Kauffman Building, Norwich Dodge, Cub Scout Pack 62, and more.

The Chobani Parade of Lights is sponsored by Chobani, the Norwich Family YMCA, the Chenango Greenway Conservancy and Rentals To Go.