Country Christmas festivities promise to make this weekend merry and bright in Powell.

The annual holiday weekend features a gift show, lighted parade, Christmas tree lighting, Tour of Homes and more.

“It is a unique small-town Christmas experience,” said Rebekah Burns, Powell Visitor Center coordinator.

This year’s Country Christmas theme is “Winter Nights Magical Lights.” Festivities begin Friday with a gift show from noon to 7 p.m. at The Commons in downtown Powell. The gift show resumes Saturday at 10 a.m. and continues until 7 p.m.

Saturday morning also features performances at Plaza Diane, including Absaroka Mountain Thunder at 10 a.m., the Powell elementary schools’ Kids Chorus at 10:30 a.m. and Stomp & Company at 11 a.m.

Always a crowd favorite, the lighted parade begins at 5:30 p.m. Saturday. Santa will make another appearance in Powell during the parade, as he’ll catch a ride with the Powell Volunteer Fire Department.

With the addition of a tree lighting ceremony Saturday evening, the parade route was modified a little this year. Floats will go north on Bent Street, turn left onto Third Street, and then make their way to Cheyenne Street to end at Washington Park. At the park, there will be a tree lighting ceremony, along with live music and tasty treats from 6:30-8 p.m.

Past Country Christmas celebrations included a tree lighting, but the tradition hadn’t continued in recent years. Sheryll Larson approached the Powell Chamber/Visitor Center about bringing it back and worked with others in the community to make it happen this year, Burns said.

“We thought it was a great idea to do the tree lighting again,” she said.

Also on Saturday night, the Twilight Tour of Homes will take residents on a unique trolley ride around Powell to enjoy homes decked out for the holiday season. The tour goes from 6-9 p.m., setting off from Perky J Upholstery at 130 N. Bent St., Unit B.

“People who buy tickets for that will be able to see the lighted parade … and be able to mingle and have some fun and then go to the different locations,” Burns said.

Tickets are $35 and include hors d’oeuvres and refreshments at Perky J Upholstery.

Only 27 tickets will be sold for the Twilight Tour, because that’s how many spaces are on the trolley, Burns said. Tickets are available at the Powell Chamber and Visitor Center, 111 S. Day St.

The 32nd annual Tour of Homes from 1-5 p.m. Sunday features eight houses in the Powell area. Homes on this year’s tour include: Chris and Regan Hoellwarth (728 Lane 11-1/2); Clark and Lora Jeffs (485 Basil Drive); Shane and Morgen Patrick (120 W. Pat O’Hara Drive); Kyle and Nikki Hoellwarth (454 W. First St.); Scott and Sandy Feyhl (405 N. Bent St.), Josh and Mindy Westerhold (622 Avenue B), Tanner and Kiley Herd (17 Emily Lane); and Scott and Paulette Bagnell (1132 Sequoia Drive). An insert in today’s edition of the Tribune includes more details about each home.

Pre-sale tickets for Sunday’s tour cost $10 and are available at the Powell Chamber and Visitor Center or at either Mountain Spirit Habitat for Humanity location in Powell. Tickets are $12 the day of the tour, available at the chamber/visitor center.

“There’s still tickets available for the Twilight Tour, and there’s plenty of tickets available for the Tour of Homes as well,” Burns said.

Habitat for Humanity is hosting the Tour of Homes and Country Christmas gift show as fundraisers.

Country Christmas is one of Powell’s biggest events of the year. Last year, a total of 5,590 spectators and participants attended Country Christmas events, Burns said. (Participants were counted at each event, so if a person went to all the weekend festivities, they would be counted multiple times.)

The holiday weekend draws visitors to Powell.

“People come from Cody, Lovell and the surrounding areas, especially for the gift show,” Burns said.

For more information about the Country Christmas festivities, visit www.powellchamber.org/powell-country-christmas or contact the Powell Chamber and Visitor Center at 754-3494 or info@powellchamber.org.