The Wilmington Jaycees want your kid to light up the Christmas Parade

The Wilmington Jaycees’ 55^th Annual Christmas Parade is a whole 18 weeks away, and the Jaycees are ON IT as they seek volunteers to help with — and participate in — this year’s event.

The biggest need right now? Middle-school kids to dress in cartoon character costumes and ride on floats. Which sounds like the coolest Christmas Parade gig next to being Santa Claus. So, if you know any pre-teen type people who love to entertain (or just want to ride on a parade float), it could be a cool (hopefully not freezing) opportunity.

Other volunteers needed include block captains, who keep the parade on track.

The Jaycees are also accepting applications for parade participants — civic organizations, marching bands, classic cars, dance troupes, sports teams and community members with parade-friendly talents.

The parade route includes the downtown stretch of Market Street, an area that has seen a lot of commercial and cultural growth over the past year. It will will take place, as always, on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. This year, it falls on Nov. 24.

Anyone who is interested in marching in the parade or volunteering should contact Wilmington Jaycees Parade co-chairs Alex Mili, at amili@comcast.net, or Mark Oller, at moller1968@aol.com.