The Christmas season officially kicks off Saturday in Dawson County.

Saturday morning, children and adults will have an opportunity to spend time with Santa Claus as the Dawson County Parks and Recreation Department hosts Breakfast with Santa for the sixth year. The event is scheduled from 8 to 11 a.m. at Rock Creek Park.

For packages starting at $5, children can tell Santa what they want for Christmas, get their photo made and enjoy breakfast courtesy of Chick-fil-A. Only cash is accepted for payment at the event.

Park and Rec Program Coordinator Buffie Hamil said other activities will be offered for children and families, including ornament making, horse-drawn carriage rides and a station to write out Christmas wish lists.

We try to make it as easy and fun as possible, Hamil said.

Hamil said costs are kept to a minimum, thanks to the sponsors: Chick-fil-A, Kroger, Home Depot, Bradleys Pumpkin Patch, Gold City Corral, Bojangles, Boy Scout Troop 422, Chars Family Day Care, Dollar General, Sportography and Walmart.

Proceeds from the event are minimal, Hamil said, but in the past few years we have ended up with a little bit. We will sponsor KARE for Kids, but we dont know how much that will be.

And for families that havent yet picked out a Christmas tree, Bradleys Pumpkin Farm will have trees available for sale.

While children are talking with Santa, adults can begin checking items off their Christmas wish list, as well.

The Margie Weaver Senior Center will hold its second annual Bazaar inside the gym of Rock Creek Park to coincide with Breakfast with Santa.

We have 25 booths including vendors with unique products and homemade items, Senior Center Director Dawn Pruett said. The senior center will have several booths of items made by the staff, seniors and art class.

Baked goods will be on sale and a quilt will be raffled off. Raffle tickets cost $5 each, or three tickets for $10. All funds from the bazaar will benefit seniors during the Christmas season, Pruett said.

Later in the afternoon, after visiting with Santa, the community is invited to the Second Annual Christmas Parade, hosted by the Dawson County Chamber of Commerce.

We are excited to help host the Christmas parade and hope that everyone will come out and share an evening of Christmas spirit with our community, Chamber President Christie Haynes said.

Parade floats will line up at Memorial Gardens and head downtown via Highway 53. The parade will end at city hall, where a tree-lighting event is planned.

We encourage everyone to stay for the tree lighting and festivities after the parade, Haynes said. It will be a great evening filled with fun, entertainment, pictures with Santa and activities for the children.

Activities include cookie decorating, crafts and pictures. Music and dancing will precede the tree lighting.

For more information about the parade, you may call 706-265-6278. For more information on the tree lighting, please call city hall at 706-265-3256.