Last Friday evening, the town of Marlinton turned into a Christmas village for the annual Christmas Parade. The parade began with the brave members of Cub Scout Pack 33, who were bundled up tight, as they carried their club banner and American flags.The grand finale of the parade featured the one and only Santa Claus, who was escorted by his friends from the Marlinton Fire Department. S. Stewart photosDespite the chill in the air and the pouring rain last Friday, Main Street in Marlinton was filled with the Christmas spirit for the annual Christmas parade. To keep participants and parade goers safe, the route was extended to allow for social distancing. It may have been a small parade, but it was still cheerful. Above, the Marlinton Presbyterian Church Nativity float. Hope was the theme, and hope is exactly what we all need right now.Employees of the United States Forest Service – Marlinton District office walked alongside their all-out Christmas-themed float and sang Christmas carols.The crew from Lucy’s Grocery and Moore laughed and sang their way through the parade.First Baptist Church – Hun-tersville celebrated the real gift of the season with its present-themed float, shown at left. The float was pulled by a truck and members rode in the bed, above, greeting the crowd along the parade route.