Everyone was there Saturday evening in downtown Mokena for the Parade of Lights.

Santa showed up, as did the Grinch, Barney and some of the folks from “Frozen” — not to mention thousands of folks from the area, some very young and others grown up but not free of Christmas spirit.

At 5 p.m., just after sunset, the throngs lined Mokena Street, gathering thickest at Mokena and Front, as a bevy of floats, cars and even a cement mixer showed off Christmas lights and spirit while handing out candy.

Even for first-time attendees, the event was an immediate hit.

“We loved the parade,” said Ashley Ryan, who paused dancing in an oversized Christmas tree ornament with some kids long enough to reflect on the evening. “We liked seeing Santa and we liked catching candy.”

With the vehicles came candy and lights, so many lights. Besides the vehicles, the Metra station park’s trees were decked out in lights as were many of the businesses along the main shopping corridor on Front, sparkling in silvers, reds and greens.

After the parade, and the candy, crowds made their way to the park at Front and Mokena to see the Christmas tree lighting. As soon as the tree turned on, crowds found the Grinch and Santa nearby, happy to pose for photos with children and with those young at heart.

Saturday wasn’t Laura Burt’s first Parade of Lights. Burt, who now lives out of town, used to work in Mokena and she’s long been a fan of the Chamber of Commerce event, so much so that, even without kids, she was on hand Saturday.

“I’m just here for fun,” Burt said. “I like to see the way the town looks.”

Burt said the parade keeps getting better, and Saturday’s celebration was the best yet.

“This is probably better,” she said. “They added lights and the parade was larger.”

The event offers more than fun for children, though they are the target demographic. As it is a Chamber event, the afternoon celebrates business, too, especially those along the parade route. Several businesses offer open houses including holiday themes to lure in the little ones along with adults.

One of those businesses was Lashology, a beauty boutique on Front. The skin and beauty bar opened its doors earlier that afternoon for its annual open house, featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, and owner Jenna Hinton said crowds circled the block waiting to get in and get a taste of Lashology’s offerings. She estimated at least a thousand people visited her boutique.

Hinton said she does something every year for the community, and she has fun.

“It spreads Christmas cheer,” she said. “And I put the event on for the kids.”

As the event has grown so, too, has its reputation and the crowds. Alison Breiner stood along the parade route with her child and two cousins and their parents, a caravan from Frankfort. Breiner said the parade helps kick off the holidays for her family.

“We love it,” Breiner said. “It gets you into the holiday spirit and it’s great for the kids.”

Jesse Wright is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.