DAPHNE, Ala.— The holiday season officially began Thursday with Daphne’s Christmas parade down Main Street, notwithstanding some technical difficulties—due to a wet wire that halfway lit the ceremonial Christmas tree outside City Hall.

“We got something wet,” Mayor Fred Small said.

But the show must go on, and so it did as almost 1,000 parade-goers enjoyed the festive, cheerful atmosphere.

Good tidings were abound in lit-up Olde Towne Daphne as the smell of fresh popcorn and coffee circulated amid the sounds of holiday favorites.

More than 50 floats—sponsored by local churches, schools and organizations—threw assorted candies, T-shirts and cups to eager onlookers who lined Main Street’s sidewalks.

Some of the parade floats were: Daphne High School’s JROTC, Wind Creek Casino, The Waggy Tail, the W.J. Carroll Intermediate School Choir, the Jubilee Baptist Church, Daphne Utilities, Hancock Bank, SCS Sport Karate, Baypointe Dance Academy, Mercy Medical, the Jubilee Court, Daphne Search and Rescue, Mr. Electric, Daphne East Elementary School, K. Nelson Construction, Junior Auxiliary of the Eastern Shore, Junior Miss of Baldwin County, Daphne Junior Girl Scouts, Baldwin County Strawberry Festival Queen, Crossroads Church, Daphne High School football team, Vision Bank and the Rehin Animal Clinic.

Bust, featuring front woman Rebecca Barry, entertained guests with popular hits from the 1950s and ’60s.

The W.J. Carroll Intermediate School Choir caroled Christmas favorites such as “Deck the Halls,” featuring a solo by fifth-grader Kayla Morris, who sang “Away in a Manger.”

Festivities included a Bay Rivers Arts Guild arts-and-crafts booth, where children painted Christmas scenes, and a winter wonderland setup behind City Hall where kids could get their picture taken with Santa.

Guests munched on popcorn and hot dogs and sipped coffee and hot chocolate, provided by Bay Coffee Company and Starbucks.

“Nice parade, nice weather,” Small said. “A great turnout and a lot of people to be in the festivities here.”

Scattered showers dampened the day but held off in the late afternoon long enough for the festivities to go on as planned.

“The weather’s beautiful,” resident Sean Ahern said while waiting for the parade to begin.

“I always love a good parade,” attendee David Oakley said. “Especially one with Santa in it.”

“My kids love it,” resident John Cooper said. “Now, the season is officially upon us.”