(MURFREESBORO) With temps in the 40s, crowds packed around the east side of the historic Rutherford County Courthouse at 6:00 o'clock Friday (12/7/2018) evening to welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus. They were escorted into town with blue lights flashing by the Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue.

Rutherford County Mayor Bill Ketron lead the evening's event along with Murfreesboro Mayor Shane Reeves. They added more fun to the event of "live" holiday music as well as an excerpt from the Center for the Art's production of "Miracle On 34th Street".

This annual event ushers in the holidays in the uptown Murfreesboro business district.

In addition, the weekend brings:

Bethlehem Marketplace on Saturday and Sunday at Southeast Baptist Church (Minerva Drive). This noon to 5:00PM event is totally FREE and ren-enacts what it would be like to walk the streets of Bethlehem the day after Christ was born.

Murfreesboro Noon Rotary Club's 16th Annual Pancake Breakfast (Hotcakes and Holly) takes place Saturday morning from 7:00-10:30AM in the old gym at Middle Tennessee Christian School (MTCS Drive at Memorial Blvd.). Admission is only $5 and that includes all you can eat pancakes, sausage, cinnamon rolls, coffee, orange juice and mile.

Plus, the MURFREESBORO CHRISTMAS PARADE is at 2:00PM Sunday. It starts at MTSU and goes down East Main, around the square, onto West Main and ends on Walnut Street. The theme of this year's parade is "A Christmas Story". Dr. Sidney McPhee, MTSU President, and First Lady Elizabeth, are this year's Grand Marshals. In addition, this year's parade is in memory of Parade Coordinator Angie Walker, who was killed in the deadly tornado that hit Christiana on November 6, 2018.