A look down VanBuren Street with the luminaries and a decorated home.

LEESBURG — The main streets in Leesburg have been lined with luminaries in celebration of its annual Leesburg Candelaria and Christmas Party. The luminaries will remain lit until midnight tonight.

The evening’s excitement was underway with the arrival of Santa, who was brought to the old Leesburg firehouse/clerk treasurer’s office by fire truck. Once the fire truck’s siren was heard, children gathered outside to await his arrival and the closer he got, the more excited they became. Youngsters jumped and clapped when Santa’s ride turned the corner from VanBuren Street onto Pearl street.

Kacelynn Green isn’t so sure about Santa.

Santa intently listened to each child who sat on his lap as they told him what was on their list. Before they left, he gave each one a bag of goodies.

Adults mingled in the old fire station talking with long time friends and enjoying hot chocolate, coffee and homemade cookies.

Christina Archer, president of the Leesburg Town Council, noted the event was a “nice time for the town’s people to get together and visit and see people they haven seen in a while.” Archer, who along with Sue Charlton, has overseen the event for the last 10 years.

Archer reported 1,300 luminaries were placed around town by members of the Leesburg 4-H Club. The group placed the luminaries on VanBuren, Pearl, Prairie, Church, Jefferson and Hickory. The variety of cookies were provided by a number of volunteers in the community.