LEESBURG — The Leesburg Candelaria and town Christmas party will be held from 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 7, in the old Leesburg firehouse/clerk treasurer’s office on the corner of Pearl and Van Buren streets.

Volunteers come together to create more than 1,000 luminarias — small paper lanterns —  to line the streets and walkways leading to the event, which features free cookies, hot beverages, Christmas carols with musical accompaniment and Santa Claus himself, who arrives by fire truck around 6:30 p.m.

As in past years, the luminarias will be lit by members of The Mighty Farmers 4-H Club and Boy Scout Troop 729.

“It’s a lot of fun and a great tradition that dates to many years back, well before I moved to town,” said Pastor Mike Beezley of Clunette United Methodist Church. “Christina Archer was very instrumental in bringing back this treasured tradition. She heads it up and works very hard to prepare for this night that we all look forward to.”

Archer reignited the candelaria after moving back to Leesburg and being disappointed to discover the tradition was no longer being observed. She and her neighbor, Sue Charlton, decided to bring back an event so many Leesburg residents remembered fondly.

“It’s a delight to give other families and children the opportunity to have fond memories,” said Archer. “It’s extremely rewarding to see people enjoy it around the town. These kinds of events are what hold and bring us together as a community. The first couple years in starting it up again were difficult because we had to find people to help and learn the best way to do it, but I’m so happy I stayed with it and didn’t throw in the towel. Each year has become better than the last.”