Lompoc welcomed the holiday season Friday night as attendees lined H Street for the annual Lompoc Valley Children’s Christmas Season Parade.

Organized by Lompoc Parks and Recreation, the festive parade drew a mix of marching bands, cheer teams, dance studios, Scout groups, classic cars, cultural performers and community organizations as they made their way through downtown Lompoc.

The parade featured a record 91 entries, according to the final lineup, all celebrating this year’s theme, “A Hometown Christmas.”

Crowds filled both sides of H Street as families cheered for friends and relatives riding on the floats, many dressed in Christmas sweaters, Santa hats and costumes ranging from elves to the Grinch.

Kids handed out candy canes while others darted toward the curb to catch drifting bursts of artificial snow from mounted snow machines, which lit up in the glow of the passing entries.

Some floats played holiday music, while others, including the Lompoc High School marching band, brought their own sound and rhythm to the procession.

For some groups, Friday marked their first appearance in the parade. Rebekah Lowthorp, an instructor with Velvet Movement Dance & Cheer Academy, said the studio opened in January and was excited to join the lineup for the first time.

“It’s so exciting. Such a small little town, so this is a great activity for everybody,” she said. “Especially for the kiddos. There’s not too much happening here when it comes to holiday stuff, so this brings everyone together.”

After the parade, attendees were invited to Centennial Park for the community Christmas tree lighting and the announcement of parade winners.

Winners of this year’s parade included:

Marching Band – Lompoc High School

Commercial Dance/Cheer – Velvet Movement

Non-commercial Dance/Cheer – Danza Azteca La Guadalupana

Youth – Lompoc Baseball Club

Club – La Cañada

Commercial – Clark Builders

Float – City Manager Dean Albro & City Staff

Faith Based – Danza Azteca La Purisima