New Iberia won’t see its annual Christmas parade this year, but that hasn’t stopped some very industrious elves from putting together a slate of activities that will highlight the season — and even reward some very industrious purveyors of the Christmas spirit.

Jennifer Beslin and Jennifer François-Toups, the drivers behind last year’s inaugural Christmas Festival in Bouligny Square, said that event was cancelled early on in the coronavirus pandemic, but the parade was a more recent casualty due to the spike in new cases.

“I said, ‘How about we schedule a Christmas protest parade to run down Main Street to Jefferson,’” Beslin laughed. “But we were joking.”

Instead, there will be a series of socially distanced events Saturday, ranging from photo ops with Santa and Mrs. Claus (or The Grinch, if that’s more your speed) as well as a drive-by parade that will wind its way through some of the city’s neighborhoods in search of the residents with the most Christmas spirit on display.

Billed as “12 Hours of Christmas,” events kick off early with the Teche Area Farmers Market at 7 a.m., offering gift ideas for those who haven’t finished their gift buying yet or who are looking for a special Christmas treat.

At 8 a.m., the annual Pancakes and PJs event kicks off at the Steamboat Pavilion, with Santa and his elves on hand. Then at 9 a.m., Shadows-on-the-Teche opens its Christmas Craft Fair down the block, while at the Gougenheim Hotel courtyard at the corner of Main and Iberia streets a miniature Whovile opens for “Selfies with The Grinch.”

The highlight of the day, though, will be in the afternoon, when Santa, Mrs. Claus and their elves take off for a tour of New Iberia. The Claus’ Christmas wagon will make its rounds, from Sugarland Estates to Terrell Court Subdivision, along Parkview Drive, through Shadows Bend, along Hopkins Street to College Park Subdivision, Southport Subdivision, Main Street, Squirrel Run and Acadian Acres.

Along the route the Clauses will be looking with care at the decorations on display to determine who has the most Christmas spirit in New Iberia.

For those who can’t make the in-person events, the lighting of the city’s Christmas tree will be a virtual event, streamed online this year to close out the day as soon as it gets dark.

Even with the full day planned, the parade will be missed.

“We hated to do it, but it just wasn’t the right time for a parade,” said New Iberia Mayor Freddie DeCourt.

Beslin agreed.

“New Iberia hasn’t had any bad publicity in a long time,” she said. “If we held the parade and one person came down with COVID afterward, they’d point and say it was from the parade.”

7 a.m. – 1 p.m. Teche Area Farmers Market & Festival

Bouligny Plaza (tickets required for breakfast)

8 a.m. – 11 a.m. Pancakes & PJs with Santa – Picnic Style

Steamboat Pavilion

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Shadows Christmas Craft Market

Shadows-on-the-Teche

9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Selfies with the Grinch

Gouguenheim Hotel courtyard

4 p.m. – 7 p.m. Santa in the City

Various locations

After dusk Lighting of the New Iberia Christmas Tree

Online at www.bayoutraditions.com

The full schedule of events for New Iberia’s 12 Hours of Christmas can be found online at www.bayoutradiutions.com. As Saturday approaches, more vendors and events will be added, and more opportunities to cross paths (and take photos) with Santa and his elves will be posted. Almost all of the events will occur in downtown New Iberia, an easy walk from Bouligny Plaza. Social distancing and masks are required.