While the procession of brightly lit floats marching down the darkened streets of Front Street Friday will celebrate the holiday season, they will also be honoring something that just as many Americans hold sacred.

The sacrifices of the men and women who have defended the nation in the armed services.

The Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce caps off its annual Christmas Celebration with the 33rd annual Candle-light Christmas Parade, which steps off downtown at 7 p.m. Friday. Serving as the grand marshal this year will be several local veterans, who will lead the floats, vehicles and marchers comprising this year’s parade.

Each year, the chamber board selects the grand marshal, usually based off something major that happened earlier in the year. Last year, they chose members of the Behnke family to lead the parade, due to the opening of the Dowagiac Area History Museum inside the family’s former paint store on Railroad Street.

For this winter’s event, though, member Jim Frazier suggested they honor the city’s veterans. Parade Co-chair and Chamber President Kim MacGregor has since reached out to several local veterans organizations, with a total of eight people coming on board, including three generations of the Wilds family.

“We may not be here, doing the things we’re doing if it wasn’t for our veterans,” MacGregor said. “I’m extremely thankful for them, and the hardships they go through to give us our freedoms. We can’t thank them enough.”

Joining the veterans will be Santa Claus, members of the 2014 Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor, fire engines from a number of local fire departments, vehicles from True’s Towing, and more.

“We’re at over 100 units at this point, which makes us the largest Christmas parade in southwest Michigan,” MacGregor said.

MacGregor is also hoping for a record setting crowd for this year’s parade as well, expecting spectators from around the region to come see the action. In the past, the parade has drawn in as many as 2,500 to watch, along with the 400 to 500 actual participants.

Prior to the beginning of the parade itself, dancers with Positively Dance will perform for spectators outside of Beckwith Park, beginning at 6:15 p.m. The ACTION choir will also be singing holiday carols following the performance. Various area businesses such as the Wounded Minnow Saloon and Caruso’s will be offering hot chocolate and other refreshments to guests as well.

With mild winter weather expected Friday evening, the chamber is expecting the parade to be better than ever.

“Every year brings something new and beautiful out,” MacGregor said. “I’m looking forward to seeing every single entry this year.”