LUMBERTON — The streets of downtown were filled with smiling faces as the annual Lumberton Christmas Parade brought in the holidays with a bang Saturday morning.

A mixture of singing voices, drums, sirens, and Christmas music echoed through Lumberton as floats and marching bands paraded through downtown and ended at Biggs Mall on Elm Street.

When the parade began, the sound of sirens blared from police motorcades. Seven-year-old Adam Valenta knew what that meant.

“Its starting!” Adam said and hushed his mother, Regina Valenta.

Regina, of Lumberton, said that she has been taking Adam to the parade every year since he was born. This year, Adam was mostly excited about seeing Santa, said Regina.

“When we were coming into town, he saw a float and he said ‘that’s Santa’s float because its the only one that would have reindeer’,” she said.

Santa was saved for last, but until then, more than 160 units including marching bands, ROTC groups, dancers, church choirs, old cars, tractors driven by people of all ages, and homemade floats traveled through downtown Lumberton in an almost two hour long parade.

The event began with parade marshal Bob Fisher, who retired earlier this year as the longtime director of the Robeson County Library. He rode down the parade route in style as he waved from a white 2009 Ford Mustang.

Fisher was followed by the clanking of metals and uniformed steps from the Lumberton Senior High ROTC, along with Lumberton Mayor Ray Pennington, Lumberton City Council members, and Robeson County Sheriff Kenneth Sealey.

“This brings back memories,” said Lewis Witt, 65, of Lumberton who’s only missed two parades since he started going as a child and remembers when the parade used to occur at night.

For Madison Evers, almost 2 years old, this was her first parade.

“It’s wonderful, everything is beautiful; the weather is nice, too,” said Madison’s grandmother, Florence McGirt.

The weather was cool and breezy on Saturday morning. A few people were bundled up in blankets, but most were enjoying the parade in light jackets.

If people were feeling cold, vendors were selling hot chocolate along with candy apples, cotton candy, and popcorn.

Some parade participants were even giving out candy as they were passing through.

The parade was bringing out the kid in Lewis. “I like coming to the parade, I get candy,” Lewis said while eating a red Santa Claus sucker.

When Santa Claus’ float, decked out with all nine reindeer, came down the street, children and adults became excited. Lewis almost knocked down his chair and started telling everyone to stand up.

Madison, who had sat in her grandmother’s arms and silently waved at the floats with a timid smile thought out the parade, exclaimed “Santa Claus!”

When the parade ended, Adam was still grinning and hopping up and down with excitement. He hopes next year he can be in the parade, riding his church’s float.

“The parade is great!” Adam said.

The parade will be televised by WNCP Channel 6 several times during the holidays, including on Thanksgiving Day.