The skies above downtown were illuminated with the bright and festive lights of the Christmas season, as hundreds of onlookers lined Front Street to witness the 35th annual Dowagiac Candle-light Christmas Parade Friday night.

Nearly 100 different parade floats, vehicles and marchers took to the downtown street that evening, led by grand marshal and parade founder Herman Black. Following behind was Jolly Old Saint Nick, accompanied by Adam Eckman and Sophia Okowski, the winners of the chamber’s gift basket drawing.

Winning awards during the parade were: The Cass County Relay for Life, winning best overall; Dowagiac Little League, for best children’s entry; Forest Glen , for Santa’s Choice; Dowagiac Union High School Marching Band, for best musical entry; and the Moose Riders, for best use of lights.