The Downtown Longmont Creative District will kick off the holiday season with its annual tree lighting event from 6 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Sixth Avenue Plaza west of Main Street.

Kimberlee McKee, executive director of the Longmont Downtown Development Authority, said there will be a crafts fair for children and adults from 6 to 6:30 p.m., including an opportunity for children to make Christmas ornaments and jingle bell bracelets.

Costumed holiday characters will be circulating through the crowd, and kids can get their pictures taken with Santa, McKee said. The Longmont Presbyterian Church will be serving hot chocolate, and other holiday treats will be available.

“We really wanted to get the community involved,” McKee said, including 6:30 to 7 p.m. sing-alongs of seasonal tunes led by two groups — the St. Vrain Singers children’s community choir and Standing Room Only, the Longmont Theatre Company’s performing musical ensemble.

The tree is to be lit at 7 p.m. Friday.

Downtown Longmont’s holiday celebrations are to resume in December, with Longmont Lights festivities from 5 to 9 p.m. Dec. 9 at Roosevelt Park, northwest of Coffman Street and Longs Peak Avenue, that will feature fire pits, food trucks, mini train rides, an ice skating show at the Ice Pavilion and a community concert in the Senior Center. Santa will have a workshop inside the St. Vrain Memorial Building, and a fireworks show is to start at 8:45 p.m.

The following evening, starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 10, the Longmont Lights Parade will cruise down Main Street. Organizers said this year’s theme is “Winter Wonderland” and that more than 60 floats and area high school marching bands are expected to participate.

John Fryar: 303-684-5211, jfryar@times-call.com or twitter.com/jfryartc