Biloxi will again be ushering in the holiday season with events on land and on water when the city’s 10-day Christmas on the Water celebration kicks off Dec. 3.

The event, which is now in its 19th year, includes a children’s parade through downtown, lighting of dozens of Christmas displays on the Town Green, displays of trees at the Biloxi Library and Tullis-Toledano Manor, and, of course, the highlight of the celebration, a nighttime parade of dozens of brightly lit boats along the Biloxi waterfront.

Christmas on the Water is organized each year by a group of volunteers who work behind the scenes for weeks, checking light bulbs in displays and organizing the schedule of eight events.

“Christmas on the Water has grown from a small boat parade 18 years ago to a community-wide celebration that offers something for all ages and all interests,” Mayor A.J. Holloway said. “The organizers have done a great job to make sure the holiday spirit is evident in our city.”

The Christmas on the Water lineup includes eight events, and nearly all of them are free, thanks to sponsorship from area businesses. Two events will be held on Friday, Dec. 3, including the 7 p.m. opening of a display of dozens of Christmas trees at the Biloxi Library; and the children’s parade and lighting of the Town Green that night.

The children’s parade, which has grown to include dozens of children, will cover several blocks of downtown Biloxi and ends at the Town Green, where a ceremony will be held to illuminate dozens of Christmas displays, many of which were crafted by Biloxi High School welding students.

The Biloxi Council of Garden Clubs will hold its Christmas Coffee on Saturday, Dec. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the home of Charles and Toni Schaffner, 517 Beach Drive, Ocean Springs. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from any Garden Club member or at the Old Brick House, 435-6121.

On Saturday, Dec. 4, at 5:45 p.m., the signature event of Christmas on the Water will begin, with dozens of boats parading from the Broadwater Marina in west Biloxi to Point Cadet Marina. About 75 vessels of various sizes are scheduled to participate. A fireworks show will be held immediately after the parade, from near Deer Island. Best parade viewing locations: between the Biloxi Small Craft Harbor and Casino Row, or between the Biloxi Lighthouse and Beau Rivage Resort and Casino.

Also on Saturday, over at the Saenger Theater, the Gulf Coast Messiah Chorus and Orchestra will again present Handel’s “Messiah.” The production, will include guest performances by classical guitarist Giovanni DeChairo and the Biloxi High School Chorus.

On Monday, Dec. 6, Christmas on the Water pays tribute to the myriad cultural groups in Biloxi with the opening of “The Trees of Tullis.” For the entire month of December, the grounds of the beachfront Tullis-Toledano Manor will showcase trees decorated to represent the city’s ethnic groups.

Christmas on the Water will wrap up with Caroling on the Green on the evening of Sunday, Dec. 19, when families and friends gather on the Town Green to share hot chocolate, cookies and sing holiday songs. The event begins at 6 p.m.