It’s going to be the merriest of Christmases if the members of the Washington Kiwanis Club have anything to say about it.

The club is partnering again with the City of Washington to host this year’s Christmas parade, according to Kiwanis president Stuart O’Neal.

The parade is planned for Saturday at 10 a.m., with line-up along Water Street and Stewart Parkway beginning at 9 a.m. The parade route, the same as in the past, includes portions of Main, Market, Second and Gladden streets.

“Line up is on a first come, first served basis,” O’Neal said. “We charge ‘for profits’ and others $25, but it’s free for nonprofits.”

Monies raised through parade entry fees will help fund scholarships awarded to graduating Beaufort County high school students each year, according to O’Neal.

“We give away scholarships to students at Washington High School, Southside High School and Northside High School,” he said. “And we give a Christopher Francisco Memorial Scholarship to any high school student. The scholarships are generally around $1,200 each.”

The Washington parade draws dozens of entries representing area churches, schools, businesses and civic organizations and is a highlight of Christmas festivities in the county. Everyone and everything are pretty much welcome, with one exception.

“We do discriminate against horses,” O’Neal said with a laugh. “In the past, some riders left a mess in the street and we had to clean it up. More or less, if you want to come we want you to be there.”

Leading the parade will be members of The Builder’s Club, a service club based at P.S. Jones Middle School and sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. Santa will make his traditional appearance on a City of Washington fire truck.

Additional information and parade entry forms are available at washingtonkiwanis.org.

After the parade, the next item on the Kiwanis’ agenda is a blood drive planned for Dec. 10 at the Blind Center in Washington. That event runs from 3 to 7 p.m.

“That’s new for us this year, but we’re trying to make it part of our annual contribution to the community,” O’Neal said of the blood drive.

On Dec. 12, the Kiwanis Club will again pull a day of shifts ringing bells for the Salvation Army at Washington’s Walmart. Club members, sometimes accompanied by family members, will staff the red kettle from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

And later in December, O’Neal will again man the kettle for the Salvation Army. A financial adviser with Edward Jones, he has drafted fellow advisers from the firm’s Washington and Chocowinity offices to ring the bells at Walmart on Dec. 12. Joining O’Neal will be Roy Parker, Trey Howdy and Kelly Crisp.