Back-to-back special celebrations will help fully usher in the holiday season in Escalon, with a Friday night dinner for local seniors and the festive Christmas on Main for all area residents on Saturday.

First up is the annual Senior Christmas Dinner, hosted by the Escalon Sunrise Rotary Club. It is a free meal and holiday program, offered to senior citizens and their guests, served at the Escalon United Methodist Church, 2000 Jackson Avenue. Dinner begins at 5 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 5.

In addition to a lasagna dinner, the program will feature the singing of Christmas carols, prize drawings and gift bags for all to take home.

Then, on Saturday, Dec. 6, all are invited to the downtown area for a full afternoon and evening of fun. Christmas on Main, sponsored by the Escalon Chamber of Commerce, is scheduled from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., and the holiday light parade is set for 5:30 p.m.

Vendor booths will be set up around the city’s Main Street Park, with a variety of merchandise vendors, food booths, beverages, crafts and more. Several entertainment acts will be featured on stage throughout the festivities as well, stopping only during the parade, which lines up near the Post Office on Coley Avenue starting at 4:30 p.m.

A reminder that all parade entries must be outfitted with some type of Christmas lighting. Santa Claus will be riding in the parade and, afterward, will be available at The Shoppe on Main Street to meet with kids and pose for photos. Also, Santa has issued a reminder that anyone with Christmas wishes can drop off a letter to him, placing it in a special holiday mailbox set up at the Escalon Post Office, 1854 Coley.

There will be fire pits set up in the park and ingredients offered to enjoy s’mores, with marshmallows for toasting, chocolate and graham crackers, and organizers also plan to have some ‘snow’ falling in the park as they have the past few years.