The traditional phrase “Something old, something new” usually is reserved for weddings and bridal folklore, but the Carol of Lights event planners have taken a page from the wedding planner’s book and have added the “something new” to the annual Christmas festival held the first Friday in December in historic downtown Lampasas.

Members of the Courtyard Square Association, Lampasas County Historical Commission, Keystone Square Museum and Vision Lampasas! have joined forces to bring new events to the Dec. 4-6 weekend in Lampasas -- including the city’s first-ever lighted Christmas parade.

Jim Rutland, business owner and a member of the downtown merchants’ Courtyard Square Association, said the “something new” will be a first for Lampasas.

“We were looking for something new to add to the Carol of Lights event in downtown Lampasas, and Vision Lampasas! came up with the idea of a lighted Christmas parade,” said Rutland. “Several people have been working hard to make the parade a reality.”

Parade organizers Janet Collins, the plant controller for Windsor Foods in Lampasas, and Amy McDaniel, president of the Keystone Square Museum board, sent more than 200 invitations to enter a float in the parade and have had tremendous response.

“We had our workshop on how a lighted float operates best, and right now we have several lighted float entries,” said Mrs. Collins.

In addition, parade organizers have received commitments from the First Cavalry Division Horse Detachment at Fort Hood.

Float entries will be judged and winners announced in three categories: best use of theme, most original and best use of lights.

“The Carol of Lights traditionally signals the beginning of the Christmas season in Lampasas, and the Friday through Sunday format has been expanded to include additional activities, as well as a re-naming of the weekend, which will now be called Hometown Holidays,” said Rutland.

“We are excited to offer the people in our area such an eventfilled weekend of holiday activities,” added Maryann Severn, president of Vision Lampasas!, the civic organization behind the expansion. “We believe we have something for everyone planned and look forward to Lampasas becoming the place to be during the first weekend in December.”

Friday night’s activities in the downtown area include the parade, as well as the traditional entertainment on the courthouse bandstand. Performances by the Lampasas High School Jazz Band and Flames Drill Team are scheduled, as well as the First Baptist youth group Organized Chaos and the Lampasas Community Cantata Choir.

The final performance of the evening will feature the Jarrett Schaub Band.

Other activities include storytelling by Tracy Rash at My Girls, carriage rides and a visit from Santa Claus.

Janie Potts, the emcee for last year’s Carol of Lights, will preside over the evening’s activities again this year, and she remembers a comment from a new Lampasas resident at last year’s event.

“A lady and her husband had just moved to Lampasas and came to the event to see what it was all about,” Mrs. Potts said. “She came up to me after the program and told me it was a wonderful opportunity for the children to participate in a community event and to have their parents there watching.”

Mrs. Potts said she thinks it is a great kickoff to the holiday season. “The courtyard square is beautiful when it is dressed in its Christmas finery.”

Keystone Square Museum will host a gingerbread house and Christmas tree display throughout the weekend.

On Saturday, a walking tour of historic buildings and upper stories will be on tap, as well as tours of the historic Lampasas County Courthouse. A film of Lampasas County will be shown continuously every 15 minutes at the courthouse, and a family film along with a chorus singing Christmas carols will take place Saturday night at Hands of the Promise church on Third Street.

The Hometown Holidays weekend concludes with the traditional Tour of Homes, sponsored by the museum, on Sunday from 1-5 p.m.

One goal of Vision Lampasas! was to collaborate with area organizations to beef up the weekend to give visitors to Lampasas more options in the spirit of the holidays.

Mrs. McDaniel, also a member of the Vision Lampasas! committee, has helped move the planning from the Friday night event to an entire weekend of activities.

“We all want Lampasas to thrive, and Hometown Holidays will help draw people to the area for shopping, dining and just enjoying what our city and county have to offer,” she said.