TYRONE — With parking meters being decorated this week and the borough’s Christmas tree and lights going up soon, there’s a lot of holiday cheer in the air only a couple weeks away from the Tyrone Yuletyme Celebration, officials said.

A lot of the annual favorites will return this year, including a soup sampling, cookie sales, carriage rides, a craft show and more, according to Tyrone Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Rose Black.

The festivities begin Thursday, Dec. 4, with the soup sampling from 5 to 7 p.m. at Alliance Church, 2103 Adams Ave., and a celebration for the Tyrone-

Snyder Public Library’s 60-year anniversary, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the library, 1000 Pennsylvania Ave.

Beginning at 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, free hot chocolate will be provided by The Brew Coffee and Tap at City Hotel Park, where the Altoona Brass Collective will begin playing music at 5:15 p.m.

Carriage rides will be available from 5 to 9 p.m., Black said, noting people must preregister on Eventbrite for the rides. To preregister, search for “Tyrone Yuletyme Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides (Friday 12/5)” at www.eventbrite.com.

From 5 to 7:30 p.m., the Tyrone Improvement Group’s annual cookie crawl will take place in downtown Tyrone along Pennsylvania Avenue and 10th Street, Black said, noting the cookies can be purchased with cash only.

At 6 p.m. Friday, Mayor William Latchford is expected to give remarks, Black said, adding Debbie Hoy of Lightner Communications will serve as the master of ceremonies for the ceremonial tree lighting.

Tyrone Area High School Band Director David Hock will do the honors this year and light the tree about 6:15 p.m., Black said.

A series of performances will follow the tree lighting at City Hotel Park every 15 minutes, with the Starlite Twirlers starting about 6:30 p.m. Performers include the Golden Grannies, the Tyrone Area High School jazz band, Pops Extension and Dance Fusion.

On Saturday, Dec. 6, Christmas sweets will be sold at Bake Shop Bakes from 8 to 10 a.m., the annual holiday craft show will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Tyrone Armory, 926 Logan Ave., and the annual Christmas parade kicks off at 5 p.m., Black said.

The parade will begin on Lincoln Avenue from 15th Street, Black said, and continue onto Pennsylvania Avenue from 14th Street, go down Pennsylvania Avenue to 10th Street, turn onto Washington Avenue, turn onto Ninth Street and conclude at the Tyrone Armory.

Black said letters for Santa can now be dropped off at the mailbox in City Hotel Park or the Tyrone Area Chamber of Commerce office, 1004 Logan Ave. Letters can also be given to an elf in the Christmas parade, she said, noting they are due by Tuesday, Dec. 9.

Decorating contest

There are Christmas-themed activities taking place this week, including the Tyrone Borough Park and Recreation Committee’s annual parking meter contest, which begins Thursday, Nov. 20 and ends Sunday, Nov. 20, interim Borough Manager Kim Gurekovich said.

This year, the contest will be judged on social media from Dec. 1-3, Gurekovich said, adding first-, second- and third-place prizes will be awarded at the Dec. 5 tree lighting.

So far, 21 meters have been accounted for, but officials are still reserving meters, Gurekovich said.

“We still have some to give out,” she said, adding families, clubs, schools, businesses and churches can contact her at the borough office to register and be assigned a meter to decorate. Gurekovich can be reached at 814-684-1330 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Lights in the Park

Lights in the Park will also return this year with a new route through Reservoir Park, Elizabeth Detwiler of the Tyrone Improvement Group told borough officials in September.

The event will run for four weeks from 6 to 10 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, beginning with the last week in November.

It costs $5 per vehicle to enter, Detwiler said, noting drivers will enter the park through Reservoir Drive by the swimming pool entrance and turn into the park between the basketball court and restrooms where traffic control will be posted.

A volunteer fire company will be on site each night to conduct traffic flow. The money raised from the event is split between the Tyrone Improvement Group and the organizations that help run the event, Detwiler said.

Other events

According to Black, the Allegheny Chorale’s Christmas concert will take place about 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7, at St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church, Altoona. A second concert will be presented about 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, at First Presbyterian Church, 102 W. 13th St., Tyrone, she said.

A cookie sale benefiting the Friends of the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 13, at the library, Black said.

From Dec. 5 through Jan. 4, the Magical Animated Adventure stroll through downtown Tyrone will be set up, Black said, adding people can enjoy animated vignettes in local store windows that bring the holiday season to life.

Scenes are animated from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and illuminated throughout the evening, Black said.

St. Matthew Catholic Church and School will host tours from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. Visitors can enjoy refreshments and the sounds of a 1912 pipe organ played by Richard Merryman every quarter hour.

From Nov. 28 through Dec. 21, the Burke family and Neely’s Train Shop will have model train displays at the Tyrone-Snyder Public Library, where donations will be taken benefiting the Central Pennsylvania Humane Society.

For more information about events, follow Tyrone Events and Promotions on Facebook.

Mirror Staff Writer Matt Churella is at 814-946-7520.