Come hungry.
 Sylvania’s Christmas Extravaganza has 50 vendors signed up – more than ever, and they’ll be selling food ranging from hot dogs and hamburgers to crab stew and fried shrimp.
“There’s never been this many vendors,” said Hilda Boykin, Better Hometown manager. “There’ll be every kind of food you can imagine.”
Streets downtown will be closed Dec. 3 at about 3:30 p.m. and the parade is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. at the First Baptist Church. The parade will circle downtown before ending back at the church. Santa will be the grand marshal.
“It’s going to be bigger and better,” than last year’s parade, said Dale Reddick of the Junior Woman’s Club.  “It’ll be worth coming to see.” People who want to take part in the parade can still enter. Call Reddick at (912) 682-1168 for more information.
The Soda Shop art gallery will be open during the Extravaganza, and will feature watercolors by Sylvania artist Wana Stanley, who died Nov. 12 at the age of 88. The gallery also will display scroll saw designs by Dave Horn, including lit nativity scenes. The gallery also will feature winners of the annual children’s Christmas card contest.
Many downtown businesses will take part in the festival of trees, decorating trees for this year’s theme – “Our Favorite Tree.” The trees will be judged by out-of-town garden club judges, who will consider originality and how well a theme is followed. Winning trees will be awarded ribbons.
Raffle tickets will be sold for $2 each for a doll house, which will be given away in a drawing sometime that night.
After the parade, Santa will take photographs with children in front of the Chamber of Commerce building. The city will have a Christmas tree that was donated by Lamar Zipperer, who grows and sells trees in Screven County.
About 10 groups will provide entertainment, including dance groups, a country rock band, a hand bell choir and some church choirs.
“We encourage everyone to come and take part,” Boykin said. “The more the merrier. It’ll be fun.”