Waiting for Santa: Cheryl Brunson of Henrico and her three granddaughters are bundled up against the cold as they await the holiday floats and marching bands — and Santa — last Saturday at the 35th Annual Christmas Parade in Richmond. The youngsters, from left, are Maleah Atkinson and Lyric Dunlap, both 3, and Kha’mya Atkinson, 8. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Holiday cheer: Thousands of spectators turned out last Saturday for the 35th Annual Christmas Parade in Richmond. Dozens of huge balloon characters, floats, marching bands and Santa made their way along Broad Street from the Science Museum of Virginia east to the Richmond Coliseum in Downtown to the smiles and cheers of people of all ages. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Holiday cheer: Thousands of spectators turned out last Saturday for the 35th Annual Christmas Parade in Richmond. Dozens of huge balloon characters, floats, marching bands and Santa made their way along Broad Street from the Science Museum of Virginia east to the Richmond Coliseum in Downtown to the smiles and cheers of people of all ages. Retiring Richmond Police Chief Alfred Durham hands out peppermint candy canes to people in the crowd as he walks along the route. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Holiday cheer: Thousands of spectators turned out last Saturday for the 35th Annual Christmas Parade in Richmond. Dozens of huge balloon characters, floats, marching bands and Santa made their way along Broad Street from the Science Museum of Virginia east to the Richmond Coliseum in Downtown to the smiles and cheers of people of all ages. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Holiday cheer: Thousands of spectators turned out last Saturday for the 35th Annual Christmas Parade in Richmond. Dozens of huge balloon characters, floats, marching bands and Santa made their way along Broad Street from the Science Museum of Virginia east to the Richmond Coliseum in Downtown to the smiles and cheers of people of all ages. Below left, Chief Operating Officer Todd “Parney” Parnell, dressed in his trademark garish pants, represents the Richmond Flying Squirrels along the parade route. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Old-fashioned Christmas: Visitors to Maymont embraced the holiday spirit last Sunday with the park’s annual Old-fashioned Christmas celebration. A group gathers near the 12-foot Christmas tree and its Victorian decorations during a tour of the Dooley Mansion. The Gilded-Age mansion will be decked out for holiday tours through Jan. 6 (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)

Old-fashioned Christmas: Visitors to Maymont embraced the holiday spirit last Sunday with the park’s annual Old-fashioned Christmas celebration. Yolanda Smith and Brittany Powell take a selfie during a carriage ride around the grounds. The Gilded-Age mansion will be decked out for holiday tours through Jan. 6 (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)

The Richmond skyline came to light last Friday with the 34th Annual Grand Illumination at the James Center in Downtown. The greatly anticipated holiday event featured music, activities and hundreds of families and individuals who participated in the countdown for the holiday lights to turn on. Blythe Washington, 5, above, is excited by the lights as she kicks off the season with her parents, Eric and Lindsey Washington of Mechanicsville and other family visiting from Atlanta. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

The Richmond skyline came to light last Friday with the 34th Annual Grand Illumination at the James Center in Downtown. The greatly anticipated holiday event featured music, activities and hundreds of families and individuals who participated in the countdown for the holiday lights to turn on. Chloe Washington, 4, is illuminated by one of the lighted reindeer at the celebration. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Crowds enjoyed festivities at Main Street Station and the 17th Street Farmers’ Market, which celebrated its grand reopening last Friday. Fire dancer Marco Lim, 21, of the Party Liberation Front, bottom, performs during the grand opening. The city’s skyline will be adorned with lights nightly through Jan. 1. (Regina H. Boone/Richmond Free Press)

Final blaze of fall near Byrd Park (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)

Celebrating Hanukkah: Dozens of people gather at the Weinstein Jewish Community Center in Richmond on Wednesday for the lighting of the menorah for Hanukkah. The eight-day Jewish festival of lights, which began Sunday night, commemorates the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Maccabees after their victory over Antiochus, who outlawed Judaism in 167 B.C. To celebrate their victory, the Jewish people tried to carry out a ritual lighting of a menorah in the temple, but found only enough oil to light it for one day. However, the oil miraculously lasted for eight days. Traditional foods and gifts are part of the religious holiday that ends Monday, Dec. 10. (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)

This dazzling holiday scene now greets motorists and pedestrians nightly as they pass the James Center on Cary and 10th streets in Downtown. The lights went on Nov. 30 at Richmond’s 34th Annual Grand Illumination to usher in the season. The lights will come on each evening through New Year’s Day, Jan. 1. (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)

Health testing: A client takes advantage of free HIV testing provided in the Nationz Foundation Mobile Testing Unit outside The Valentine last Saturday in Downtown. The free testing, conducted in partnership with the museum and Diversity Richmond, was part of the local observance of World AIDS Day. (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)

Health testing: A client takes advantage of free HIV testing provided in the Nationz Foundation Mobile Testing Unit outside The Valentine last Saturday in Downtown. The free testing, conducted in partnership with the museum and Diversity Richmond, was part of the local observance of World AIDS Day. (Sandra Sellars/Richmond Free Press)