Christmas lovers in Pike County are in for a special treat on Sunday if they go to the Square as groups will be there to sing Christmas carols while Santa offers buggy rides.

First Baptist Church (FBC) and Hephzibah Baptist Church (HBC), along with local musician Lenny Trawick and his music students, will be on hand at the Square on Sunday at 2 p.m. to sing some favorite Christmas carols.

“I love the idea of this very traditional, fun event for the community,” said Leigh Anne Windham, chair of the Downtown Committee. “Bring family and friends and enjoy the carols and feel free to join in and sing along!”

Bart Culpepper, music director at FBC, gave some insight into what can be expected from his choir.

“We’ll do a new arrangement of ‘O Little Town of Bethlehem’ as well as the traditional ‘Joy to the World’,” Culpepper said. “We’’ll also have some non-traditional Christmas music from the presentation we did this past Sunday.”

Culpepper said that those who come can expect a similar mix of traditional carols and new arrangements throughout the performance. Santa will also be returning to the Square to give free buggy rides from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. He will again be picking up passengers at the Confetti Crate.

The festivities continue on Monday with the annual Christmas parade, which was delayed a week due to inclement weather The theme of this year’s parade is “Christmas Melodies” and Sheila Jackson, director of public relations for the City of Troy, said Troy’s creativity will be showing when the parade ushers in the Christmas season

The parade will line up on Elm Street and follow a route around the square, the same route as the Troy University Appreciation Day Parade. “The route provides great viewing from all around the square,” Jackson said.

Immediately following the parade, everyone is invited to the 2016 Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the square.

Student representatives from the Troy City Schools will join Troy Mayor Jason A. Reeves in the lighting of the city’s official Christmas tree. The Troy Elementary School Choir will provide music for the ceremony.

Special holiday music by Henry Everett and Patrick Jackson will be from 5 until 6 p.m. and also following the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree.