DECATUR - Sunlight will take a break for this year's Christmas parade.

The parade floats will light their own path through the streets of downtown Decatur during the community's first nighttime Christmas parade.

With floats aglow, the Sights and Lights of Christmas parade will step off at 5:30 p.m. Saturday in downtown Decatur.

The Decatur Jaycees, who oversees the parade, wanted to give the community a night to remember.

Tanya Lee, public relations chairwoman for the group, presented the idea after attending a nighttime Christmas parade in Chicago.

"It's nothing but sheer beauty to watch these floats, amassed with Christmas lighting ? rolling down the street," she said. "And everyone around enjoyed watching it."

Daylyn Wells, executive director of City Centre Deca ;tur, said the downtown council has received comments from community members suggesting the parade seems the same every year. The lighted parade is going to break out of that mold, she said.

The Jaycees didn't have a hard time selling local businesses and organizations on taking part in the parade, and many are anticipating the community's first nighttime procession.

Lee said the parade has had a 30 percent increase of entries this year, with 50 entries walking in the parade and 30 of them being floats.

Buena Vista National Bank has participated in Decatur's Christmas parade for the past two years, and Charlotte Morse, the company's float organizer, couldn't be more eager that the annual parade is "spiced up" by having it at night.

"It's going to be magical," said Morse, a customer service representative of the bank on Woodford Street. "There's no other word to explain the evening. The kids are going to be in awe."

The bank's float will replicate a jack-in-the-box, with the branch manager popping in and out of the box, Morse said. Icicle lights will decorate the float, and children in the parade will wear glow necklaces.

Brent Sloan, owner of Sloan's Calzones on Oakland Avenue, also will have a trailer and walkers in the parade lit up as much as possible, he said. Family members, friends and employees of the restaurant will hand out candy and coupons to get their name out to the community in the business's first year in the parade.

"I'm excited about this nighttime parade," said the Decatur native, who fondly remembers attending the parades as a boy. "I wish I could be a spectator this time to see everything and everyone."

The lights may be for decoration, Lee said, but they also serve as a safety measure.

"Everyone must be holding something that glows if they're walking in the parade," she said, "and all floats must be lit up."

She added that children younger than 12 will not be allowed to walk in the parade but can ride on the floats. Also, instead of the candy being thrown, it will be handed out to children along the sidewalks.

Lee said many float entries have shown creativity with their use of lighting. Some floats are using lighted inflatable lawn items and electric candles, while others are incorporating lighted costumes.

Rebecca Mattingly is the organizer of Parsons School float that will be a house lit up on the inside showing a family decorating it. Candy canes, a lighted Christmas tree and a snowman also will decorate the float, and Parsons' pompom girls will follow behind, wearing glow necklaces, said Mattingly, a parent liaison for the school.

"We thought of a family, neighborhood theme with our float," she said. "I am so anxious to see a lighted parade in Decatur. I think seeing the lights in the parade will put more people in the holiday spirit.

"This change is something new for Decatur."

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