Norwich — Downtown Norwich will ring in the holiday season next weekend with two days of events that mix long-standing city traditions with new features.

The 33rd annual Light Up City Hall celebration will take place from 5-6 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6 in the City Hall plaza, 100 Broadway. The event moved from Black Friday to the first Friday in December several years ago to join with downtown’s First Friday art gallery openings and downtown theater performances.

Light Up City Hall, hosted by city employees volunteering their time, includes live carolers, performances by a ventriloquist, and a magician while waiting for Santa to arrive to lead the countdown to turn on the City Hall and the plaza tree. Downtown art galleries will be open following the ceremony.

From 4-8 p.m. Saturday, the annual Winterfest street festival and parade will be held downtown, featuring lighted floats, live music and bands, sponsored by Norwich Events Organization. The parade moved to an evening timeslot several years ago to encourage participants to decorate their floats with lights.

The organization has honored local businessman Steven Bousquet as this year’s grand marshal. Bousquet is the owner of American Landscape and Lawn Science, a company he founded more than 40 years ago in his backyard garage. Bousquet has been active in the community for decades, is president of the Finnish American Heritage Society and regularly donates to numerous local civic and charitable organizations.

One new tradition for Winterfest is a children’s playground hosted by Castle Church on lower Broadway. A collection of a holiday-themed children’s playhouse village will be set up in Jubilee Park behind the church. The park area will be open for families with small children just prior to and during the Winterfest parade on Saturday evening.

Free parking for both days of events is available in downtown parking lots and the city’s parking garages on Main and Water streets.

c.bessette@theday.com