GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The annual Santa Claus Parade is set to return to the streets of Grand Rapids — and this year, it will deliver Kriss Kringle right to the city’s annual tree lighting.

The Gentex Grand Rapids Santa Claus Parade is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7.

“It’s an opportunity to get families to create their own holiday tradition. Many of us grew up watching the parade on television. Well, we have our own parade right here in Grand Rapids that your family can come be a part of and create your own holiday tradition,” Evette Pittman, special events manager for the city of Grand Rapids, told News 8 Friday.

Organizers say it will kick off at 5 p.m. at the corner of Michigan Street NW and Division Avenue N. Then, the parade will head down Division to Crescent Street NW, Ionia Avenue NW, Pearl Street NW, Ottawa Avenue NW and Louis Street NW, ultimately bringing Santa Claus right to Rosa Parks Circle for the tree lighting ceremony at about 6:45 p.m.

The parade and tree lighting will air on WOOD TV8 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., hosted by News 8 Daybreak anchors Teresa Weakley and George Smith and Storm Team 8 meteorologist Blake Harms, with Maranda.

“By moving it to the evening, now you’ve got the lights that come into play. When you think of Christmastime and holiday time, you think of the lights and the trees. Downtown Grand Rapids always looks spectacular, so to move it downtown and give people a reason to get down there to see all of that and combine those two events together, it’s going to be great,” Craig Piersma, the vice president of marketing for event sponsor Gentex, said.

As the parade — which is now in its 103rd year — makes its way through the streets of Grand Rapids, organizers say Rosa Parks Circle will also feature family-friendly events, like a station where kids can write letters to Santa, starting at 5:30 p.m.

“The efforts of everyone involved is just going to bring more and more people to downtown Grand Rapids, which will hopefully help the shop owners and restaurants and get people to stay downtown and enjoy downtown Grand Rapids. We’re so blessed to have the community that we do and we should celebrate that,” Santa Parade organizer Russ Hines said.

Gentex is returning as the parade’s lead sponsor. Other sponsors include Meijer, Experience Grand Rapids, AHC Hospitality, Amway River Bank Run, RedWater and WOOD TV8 as the parade’s media partner.

You can learn more at GRsantaparade.com.