Perhaps it’s the hodge-podge of holiday displays in retail stores has people already thinking of Christmas. Perhaps. Or may they just want to get their reservations in the City of Troy’s Christmas Parade on Dec. 7.

But for whatever reason, Shelia Jackson, Troy public relations and tourism director, said 40 entries are already register and more inquiries about the Christmas parade are coming in almost every day.

“People are already thinking Christmas and I guess so are we,” Jackson said. “We have already selected a theme for this years’ Troy City Christmas Parade — “Silver Bells– Christmastime in the City of Troy.”

Jackson said the theme is broad-based and just about anything will fit the theme.

“We didn’t want the theme to be too restrictive,” she said. “We wanted it to be broad enough to have a lot of different ideas expressed related to the theme and, then, too. The parade entries are not restricted to that theme. As long as an entry has a Christmas theme, it’s in.”

Applications for the Troy City Christmas Parade are available at the Troy Public Relations and Tourism Office at 113 North Market Street, across from the Johnson Center for the Arts.

The parade route will be around the square with the annual City Christmas Tree Lighting to follow with a music by the Troy University Gospel Choir.

Traditionally, the Brundidge City Christmas Parade is on the Tuesday after the Troy parade and the Goshen Christmas Parade on Friday. All are night parades.

“We encourage people to enter all three parades,” Jackson said. “They are all different and all a lot of fun. Even though Christmas is still some time away, it’s not too early to start thinking about participation in the Christmas parades.

The next parade is the Troy University Homecoming and Appreciation Day Parade at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 17 in downtown Troy.  The parade is open to individuals, schools, organizations, churches and businesses.

The theme is “Sound of the Trojan Spirit” and in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the Sound of the South, the 75th anniversary of the Dr. Johnny Long’s tenure at Troy University and the 100th anniversary of the music programs at the university, said Lauren Smith, Pike County Chamber of Commerce.

The theme is suggested but any theme related to the university is acceptable. There is a $10 entry fee. Applications are available at the Chamber office at 101 East Church Street in Trou.

The annual Nutter Butter Parade, the signature parade of the annual Peanut Butter Festival in Brundidge will be at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct.31 in downtown Brundidge. You don’t have to be a nut to be in the parade but you’ll probably want to act like one.

It’s anything goes parade and everyone is invited. For parade information, call 334-685-5524 or 670-6302. Or just go nuts come anyway.