Like an heirloom shawl that wraps itself about you, warming both body and soul, the spirit of Christmas and the true sense of community will be set aglow Friday evening within this city’s central business district, as Dowagiac’s 106-unit Candle-light Christmas Parade steps off  at 7 p.m.

Organizers agree this season’s first snowfall is all that is needed to put the final touches on Dowagiac’s magnificent Candle-light Christmas Parade, which promises to unfold the magic of the holiday season before hundreds of wide-eyed spectators.

Proudly presented by Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital and the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, the special evening of Christmas events opens at 6:30 p.m. at Main and Front streets, where Positively Dance will present a sneak preview to its upcoming “Spirit of Christmas” show.

Known as one of southwestern Michigan’s largest lighted parades, Dowagiac’s holiday procession is part of this community’s Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration, which also included the Nov. 20-22 Open House Weekend and the appearance of an Old-World Santa at Wood Fire Italian Trattoria.

Corporate sponsors of the celebration also include Matthew Cripe Dental P.C., Family Fare and Spartan Stores, Dr. Charles Burling and Dr. Jon Gillesby, Dowagiac Area Federal Credit Union and Wood Fire Italian Trattoria.

A vital part of Dowagiac for more than 90 years, Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital is privileged to be part of this community and, for the third consecutive year, to serve as the major underwriter of Friday evening’s parade, said Joy A. Strand, administrator and chief operating officer.

Christmas, among many things, is a time of hope and, perhaps for some, a brief respite from everyday cares and concerns, Strand said.

As a contributor to this community’s holiday celebration, she said the hospital hopes to demonstrate its appreciation for the support it continues to receive and, in some small way, contribute to the hope, the joy and the cheer of the people the hospital stands ready to serve.

Trish Brazo, a member of the Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and team leader for Huntington Bank, who is this year’s  parade chairman , encouraged spectators to give Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital a warm welcome as its holiday float travels the downtown as Unit 24.

“Parade goers will want to arrive early Friday evening to explore our specialty shops or to dine at one of our fine or casual restaurants,” Brazo said.

In the tradition of the Victorian era, the parade’s Town Crier, dressed in top hat and coattails will mingle with passersby on the sidewalk, beginning at 6 p.m. as he distributes holiday cheer and candy canes to families.

Later that evening, the tolling sound of his hand-bell signals the triumphant start of this year’s holiday  procession and the return of the Old-World, Victorian Santa, whose appearance was made possible by Borgess-Lee Memorial Hospital and the celebration’s corporate sponsors.

Beginning at 6:30 p.m. Positively Dance opens festivities at Main and Front streets in the style of New York City’s Rockettes, as dance students present a special sneak preview to their  Dec. 12 “Spirit of Christmas” show, which will be held at the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center.

Twenty-nine dance students grades 1-12 comprise Positively Dance, which is a non-profit organization based in Dowagiac. Sharing both their love of dance and their desire to perform at a higher level, students of Positively Dance also enjoy giving back to their community.

In addition to their performance Nov. 21 during Dowagiac’s Christmas Open House Weekend, they have also appeared at this community’s Summer in the City Festival in July, and at such area events as the Four Flags Apple Festival in Niles and the Krasl Arts Fair in St. Joseph.

They have also presented special performances for area schools, nursing homes and at benefit dinners, and have given back to their community by serving meals at senior citizen centers.

Parade goers at 6:15 Friday evening will be welcomed to Dowagiac’s central business district, which is already brimming in lighted evergreens, by emcees Patrick Murphy and Max Sala, representing Dowagiac Elks Lodge 889; and City Clerk James Snow.

Dowagiac’s Old-World Victorian Santa, which is the featured attraction of the parade, marks his 14th appearance in the Grand Old City’s night of holiday pageantry, as he appears as Unit 20.

In mid-September, while Jolly Ol’ St. Nick is traditionally the first to register for Dowagiac’s candle-light procession, Brazo said the Chamber of Commerce continued to welcome parade units as late as Tuesday this week.

Brazo said this year’s largest parade unit is comprised of the seven-vehicle fleet that represents True’s Towing of Dowagiac, which is multi-Unit 93. Coming close in size is a newcomer to the parade, the City’s Department of Public Services with its four-vehicle unit and Cass County Road Commission and its four parade units.

Vickie Phillipson, program director for the Chamber of Commerce and the Dowagiac Downtown Development Authority (DDA) said several months of planning go into coordination of the two-part Old-Fashioned Christmas Celebration, which includes the November Open House Weekend and parade night.

“Although some units signed up for the parade as early as September, thorough planning and the appointment this year of separate chairmen to oversee Open House Weekend and the parade, positions the organization ready to accept parade units up until the very last minute.”

Phillipson said pre-planning efforts for the parade and many of this community’s events routinely involve city personnel from the police and fire departments, and personnel from the city’s Electric, Parks and Grounds and its Streets and Bridges crews, as well as Patty Klug, executive secretary for the city’s Department of Public Safety, who coordinated CERT volunteers and is also part of the team effort involving police and fire personnel, who on Friday will host a dinner for line-up volunteers at the new fire station.

Brazo said Friday’s staging crew includes: Patty and Ernie Klug, Sheri Griggs, Ashley Hornburg, Don Wolford, Nick Bogen, Paul Potter, Dr. Timothy Dowsett, Jim Debruin, Bill Casper, Jim Frazier, Dawn Tyrakowski, Rodger Smith, Dan Hebron, Carol and Art Springsteen and Toni Hebron, along with Cathy, Dave and Calie Daniels.

As this community readies to welcome an estimated 3,500 spectators to the central business district, Brazo said personnel from the City of Dowagiac and Chamber of Commerce  have also met several times as they continue to establish new safety measures to assist out-of-town pedestrians and motorists, to ease the flow of traffic and to provide additional emergency personnel at key locations along the parade route. Chief Tom Atkinson has held similar strategic planning sessions in advance of Summer in the City, Steve’s Run and the Rod and Roll Classic Auto Show.