You might want to bring a blanket to Corner Park this Thursday night for the City of Clanton’s Third Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Despite the cold weather, there are plenty of good reasons to attend.

The entertainment begins at 6 p.m. and includes Attitudes dance group, Clanton Middle School Dance Team, First United Methodist Children’s Choir, First Baptist Children’s Choir, Perfect Peaches dance group from Chilton Medical Center, and Jerry, Crystal and Grayson Russell.

The tree lighting will take place at 6:45, and entertainment will continue after the lighting ceremony.

If the lights and music don’t distract you from the cold enough, Clanton First Baptist will be serving hot chocolate throughout the evening.

“We’re very excited about the Christmas Tree Lighting,” City Council member Mary Mell Smith said. “Since its inception, it has grown to be bigger and better, and we hope to make it even bigger and better as the years go by.”

Rumor has it Santa will be showing up around 5 p.m., so parents should bring their kids an hour early for photographs.

Sixth Street and Second Avenue North will be closed for the lighting. The city will provide bleachers, but people are welcome to bring lawn chairs, Smith said.

For more information, call Clanton City Hall at 755-4051.