The annual Ironton Lions Club Christmas Parade will roll through downtown Ironton Monday evening, getting everyone in the Christmas spirit.

“The Ironton Lions Club likes to start the holiday season every year,” Lou Pyles, club member, said. “We’ve sponsored the parade since 1993.”

Prior to the Lions Club taking over the parade, Pyles said the Ironton Business Association put on the parade for at least 15 years before, which she was also a part of for some time.

This year, the parade has five divisions.

The first division includes the Lions Club banners and flags, the Christmas parade banner, the VFW 8850 Color Guard, the Ironton Fire Department, the Ironton High School Million Dollar Marching Band and cheerleaders, the Ironton Middle School cheerleaders, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Ironton Mayor Katrina Keith, iHeartRadio, Yvonne DeKay School of Dance, Wendy’s, Sanctuary of the Ohio Valley and the Lawrence County Early Childhood Academy. Following the first division, the second division includes WEMM Radio, Young Miss Lawrence County, Alyssa Ratliff, Therapy dogs “Beck” and Friends, “Little Bear,” “Midnight Moon” and “Bug,” Our Lady of Bellefonte Hospital, Zumba in the Village Fitness, WLGC Radio Kool Hits 105.7, Cyndi’s Studio, the Rock Hill Elementary School “A” team cheerleaders, Resurrection Hope United Methodist Church and the El Hasa Shrine.
The third division contains Pump-Up-The-Fun Inflatables, OACWC Youth Clubs, Iron Hills Girl Scout Troop 982, Ironton Girl Scout Troops 985, 425 and 1271, Ironton Girl Scouts Daisy Troop 990, Dawson-Bryant Girl Scout Troops 1269 and 2186, and Green Acres Regional Center.

Wrapping up the parade are the Ohio University Southern Community Band, Lawrence County EMS, the Upper Township and Hamilton Township Volunteer Fire Departments, Patriot Ambulance and MTS Ambulance in division four and an Ironton Lions Club banner, Santa Claus, SOARES Ham Radio, Stonegate Stables and the Ironton Police Department in division five.

“We’re ready for the parade, and we’re excited to do this for the community,” Pyles said. “I hope it doesn’t rain and we have some good weather for it.”

The parade begins at 6 p.m. Monday and lasts about an hour.