NORWAY — Firetruck sirens could be heard throughout downtown Norway on Saturday afternoon, but this time it was for a celebration.

Norway and Paris hosted the annual Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade that started its mile and a half route on Main Street. The parade included 50 holiday-themed floats and firetrucks from all of the 13 surrounding towns. 

The parade started on Main Street in Norway, at the corner of Whitman Street, and ended in Market Square in Paris.

Hundreds of people and pets braved the (albeit not very) cold and lined the parade route to partake in the annual celebration.

The theme of this year’s parade was Toyland Christmas, and that was certainly visualized in many ways.

Members of the Oxford School Age Child Care & Preschool dressed as Candy Land, the Hasbro board game. People dressed as the iconic game characters including Queen Frostine and Lord Licorice, as well as board game squares and the game logo.

Participants came from seemingly every club and organization in Oxford County, including emergency responders, teachers, libraries and Girl Scout troops. Many Relay For Life and nonprofit organizations marched, as well as local businesses including Ship n Runs and Swell Signs. They took first place in the small business category, with a Welcome to Whoville set. They had a speaker playing the song, “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” and their very own Grinch and Max the dog disguised as a reindeer.

Other floats and groups had festive costumes and decorations, trees and music, and lots of people were handing out candy to the crowd.

A Norway Fire Department pickup truck rounded out the parade by carrying a Mr. and Mrs. Claus float.

The parade was the kickoff to the rest of the three-day Festival of Trees.

According to Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce Executive Director John Williams, Santa and Mrs. Claus were available after the parade Saturday for pictures to be taken with children for free. Williams called this “the real heart” of the three-day event.