­­­The Moscow Winter Carnival, previously called Light Up the Night & Winter Wonderland Tree Lighting, is sure to put everyone in the holiday spirit this Friday.

Moscow’s Main Street will turn into a winter wonderland as the city welcomes in the holiday season with a tree lighting ceremony and parade.

This night of holiday joy is provided by Kellisa Owens, recreation supervisor of youth activities and aquatics, and her team as well as Woodbury Tree Farm, Home&Harvest Magazine and the City of Moscow.

“Come down and start the holiday season with us,” Owens said.

The festivities will begin on Main Street in Moscow with Santa flying in from the North Pole to wish everyone a merry Christmas — as long as the snow does not make him fly off course and lose his way, she said. He may even bring an elf or two so children and their parents can get a picture with him.

Wack-A-Doo’s Styling Salon will put on its Whoville Hair fundraiser. Hairdressers will provide Seussian hairstyles for free, Owens said, but they encourage donations. Since it is the season of giving, these donations will go to the Humane Society of the Palouse and Palouse Recovery Center, LLC.

Moscow Poet Laureate Susan Hodgin is also scheduled to perform in Friendship Square starting at 4 p.m. Palouse Choral Society carolers will take the stage at 5 p.m. and perform until the tree lighting ceremony at 6 p.m.

“[The parade and tree ceremony] gets people together to cheer on the holiday season,” Owens said.

The parade will begin immediately following the tree lighting ceremony.

Event organizers posted an activity guide on the event website and the carnival’s Facebook page to help guide people as they enjoy as many of the free opportunities as possible, Owens said.

This year’s carnival will be longer than in previous years since several of the festivities, such as the Whoville Hair fundraiser, are new installments this year, Owens said.

She said organizers specifically designed this year’s event to start earlier in hopes that it will attract more families.

“It’ll be plenty dark at 6 to light the tree,” Owens said, “and we don’t want the children to stay out too far past their bedtime.”

Even though the event is happening earlier than in previous years, it will still be quite cold out, she said, so bundle up.

For more specific details about the event, head over to the Moscow Winter Carnival Facebook page.