Christmas lights and vehicles will come together to stroll down Main Street in John Day for the 26th annual Timber Truckers Light Parade at 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

The theme is “A Storybook Christmas.”

“The festival started out as a way to acknowledge the timber industry that has been very important over the years in Grant County,” said Leslie Traylor, the president of the Timber Truckers committee.

About 125 trucks drove during the first parade on Dec. 11, 1993, which was organized by D.R. Johnson. A decrease in the timber industry affected the amount of timber trucks that participated, so the committee diversified the people who can participate.

“If individuals wanted to enter and they had a pickup and wanted to decorate for their family, they would have an opportunity, and we also have some churches and community organizations participate in the community category,” Traylor said. “Somebody told me, ‘Why don’t you change the name of the event from Timber Truckers to a Christmas Parade?’ It was a timber industry that started the parade, and D.R. Johnson’s office is still very supportive of the event. It’s always going to be Timber Truckers Parade.”

Drivers can enter in four categories: farm and ranch, timber, commercial, and community.

Planning for the parade began on Oct. 1 with committee members picking a theme and sending out letters to merchants. City merchants make donations that are used as prizes for the participants in the parade.

“These guys that decorate their vehicles are doing it in December, and a lot of them don’t have shops to do it in and it’s cold,” Traylor said. “After the parade, we have a dinner and an award ceremony, and this is where drivers get really cool prizes that are donated by merchants, or the committee buys gifts through donations.”

When drivers sign up for the parade, they submit their name into a drawing. If any women or children helped decorate, they are also put into a raffle for prizes.

Vehicles are also judged in each of the four categories with first place winning $200, second place $100 and third place $50. After a winner is decided in each category, a sweepstakes winner is decided for a prize that changes every year. Organizing this event requires an abundant amount of time and planning but comes with a payoff that is priceless.

“Especially during the last couple of days going into the event, we are running around trying to collect donations and following up,” said Traylor. “We then spend several hours at the Elks club decorating the place, and then we go down to where the drivers register. 6 o’clock comes and you’re exhausted, but all you have to do is drive into town and see all the cars, people and kids lined up to see the start of the Christmas season. It makes everything worth it.”

People interested in driving in the parade can preregister at John Day Auto Napa, Bank of Eastern Oregon or at the city of John Day with a $10 entry fee. Participants can also enroll on the day of the event at Iron Triangle, formerly known as Grant Western, from 3-5:30 p.m.

When participating, people are not allowed to throw candy. Vehicles must be fully decorated, and no motorcycles are allowed.

Everyone is invited to the John Day Elks Lodge for a dinner by Elks members after the parade ends. The dinner will be free, but donations will be accepted.