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BEMIDJI 鈥� The streets of downtown Bemidji were packed on Friday evening as community members gathered to ring in the holiday season in style for the 27th annual Night We Light parade and following celebration.

As always, Target Team members pushed Carts of Care ahead of the parade to collect donations for the Bemidji Community Food Shelf and toys for the United Way of the Bemidji Area's annual Holiday Gifts for Kids program.

With the honor guard heading things up, dozens of floats then made their way down the parade route, traveling south along Beltrami Avenue from Eighth Street before turning west on Third Street and ending at Irvine Avenue.

At the conclusion of the parade, everyone made their way to Paul Bunyan Park for the remainder of the evening鈥檚 festivities.

On a small stage set up in the park along Lake Bemidji, Paul Bunyan Broadcasting鈥檚 Kevin Jackson gave opening remarks and listed off some of the event's new attractions, including the very popular fire pits courtesy of Bemidji Steel in the Paul Bunyan Park plaza and the Giving Ornament of Dreams which serves as a photo booth and a way for folks to contribute donations to various United Way programs.

Jackson then welcomed Bemidji Mayor Jorge Prince to the stage to address the crowd of thousands, crammed together to try and soak up a bit of warmth in the 18-degree weather.

鈥淔eliz Navidad Bemidji!鈥� Prince said as he took the stage. 鈥淚 really want to say 鈥榯hank you鈥� to everybody for coming out tonight. I know it's a little chilly, but we're from Bemidji and we're die-hard and we're out here to celebrate together.鈥�

Prince then expressed his thanks to all the staff members and volunteers from the First City of Lights Foundation, the Parks and Recreation Department, the festival sponsors and all of the volunteers who continue to help make the celebration an annual tradition.

鈥淚 want to also acknowledge former mayor Doug Peterson who started all of this 27 years ago with a vision that this celebration might inject into our communities Christmas magic for our downtown, to bring families together in the Christmas spirit of celebration of the birth of Christ,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎nd tonight, Mayor Peterson's legacy lives on because we're here for the 27th year.鈥�

Prince detailed how of all of Bemidji鈥檚 community events, the First City of Lights Celebration is one of his favorites.

鈥淚t鈥檚 because I believe illuminating the dark is such a powerful message in our world and our lives,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e are often faced with darkness, with challenges, with unexpected events. And what do we do in those situations? Do we stay in the shadows or do we bring light and hope into those situations? We bring light. 鈥� And I believe that if we keep bringing the light, we can continue to bring hope to our city. Just like that star brought hope to the world over Bethlehem 2,000 years ago.鈥�

Prince thanked all those in attendance for the work they do in their families, work environments and broader community to make Bemidji shine.

鈥淎s we enter this holiday season, I want to encourage you to have faith, to keep dreaming and keep investing in those around you,鈥� he left off. 鈥淚n doing so, let us be a city on a hill whose light can be seen from every direction. May you and your family be blessed this holiday season and always.鈥�

Jackson and First City of Lights Foundation Executive Director Josh Peterson then took the stage to hand out awards to this year鈥檚 parade category winners.

The best youth float went to the Beltrami County 4-H horse project, the best business float went to Ottertail Power Company, the best nonprofit award went to the BSU Alumni Foundation, the best use of lights went to Beltrami Electric Cooperative and the media award went to Lakeland PBS.

Before handing the mic over to Peterson, Jackson announced in dramatic fashion, 鈥淧lease welcome the alter ego of Captain Christmas, the first City of Lights Foundation executive director, the guy who makes this thing fly: Josh Peterson!鈥�

With the crowd erupting in cheers and applause, Peterson took the podium and once again thanked all those in attendance for braving the cold and coming out to enjoy the celebration.

鈥淥n behalf of the First City Lights Foundation, I would like to welcome all of you, and I mean all of you 鈥� there's lots of you down here 鈥� to the 27th annual First City of Lights Celebration,鈥� Peterson said in opening. 鈥淭his year has been an amazing year of growth. This event is unique because it is a 100% community celebration, which encompasses and strives to represent all people. Each year you tell us exactly what you want, we listen and we try to be inclusive and showcase all that you would like to see and make it a reality.鈥�

Peterson thanked Paul Bunyan Communications, Greater Bemidji, Light Up the Night Productions and Ottertail Power Company for their part this year in helping transform Paul Bunyan鈥檚 Christmas Tree into a state-of-the-art, 58.5-foot Pixel tree.

鈥淚 ask everyone here as you explore the displays and enjoy the new Pixel Christmas Tree to take the light with you tonight and shine it wherever you go,鈥� Peterson asked of the crowd. 鈥淭his Christmas season and beyond, we have always shined bright and built into this year's display a way to shine bright with the Giving Ornament of Dreams, scan the QR code inside and help the United Way with Holiday Gifts for Kids.

鈥淏e the light in all you do and carry that light with you through the years to come. This event has grown into a great tradition for families. Let's shine that light for those who need it this holiday season and be the true First City of Light.鈥�

He also thanked all the volunteers and staff members with the Parks and Rec department who helped to install over 700,000 lights throughout downtown, along with South Shore, Paul Bunyan and Library Parks.

鈥淲hile you kick off the holiday season, always remember to stop, pause and cherish these moments and always remember how truly blessed we all are. The spirit of Christmas is alive and well in Bemidji,鈥� he said in closing. 鈥淚t is inspiring to see what happened to be a Christmas tradition for my family grow into a tradition for thousands. 鈥� Merry Christmas everyone and may God bless this beautiful, glorious First City of Light.鈥�

With that, Jackson and Peterson pumped up the crowd as everyone counted down in unison from 10 to one as the giant light switch was flipped, illuminating the area with light all at once.

As attendees oohed and aahed at the new Pixel Christmas Tree, fireworks began to explode over Lake Bemidji, rounding out another memorable First City of Lights Celebration.