CALUMET — The annual Christmas in Calumet event will be held Friday, with a tree lighting at 7 p.m.

Santa will be present, and local women’s choir Noteworthy will perform a short concert.

Afterward, there will be refreshments in the ballroom of the Calumet Theatre. There will also be horse-drawn wagon rides from 5-8 p.m. with wagon stops at Copper World at the corner of Fifth and Scott streets, and at the Calumet Theatre at Sixth and Elm streets.

Christmas in Calumet begins a series of holiday events held during this month, said Leah Polzien Main Street Calumet executive director.

“On Saturday, Santa will be available to hear every wish at the Vertin Gallery from 11 a.m.-3 p.m,” she said

The event is sponsored by local businesses, governments and Main Street Calumet, said Polzien. Also supporting the event are Keweenaw Coffee Works, Calumet Floral, Copper World, Cross Country Sports, the Vertin Gallery, Calumet Township DDA, and Paige Wiard Gallery.

Christmas in Calumet has been going on at least 10 years, and while some of the events have changed, the flavor has remained the same.

“Christmas in Calumet encourages people to come to downtown Calumet enjoy the sights and sounds of the season against the backdrop of our traditional and historic downtown architecture,” Polzien said.

On Fridays and Saturdays throughout the month, she said Main Street Calumet hosts or highlights holiday events such as free horse-drawn wagon rides, visits with Santa, holiday open houses, a Christmas tree lighting. There are also local business events like the Calumet Art District’s First Friday Event and the CopperDog annual kids’ rides.

Christmas in Calumet is a popular event, usually attracting approximately 100 children with their families on Fridays, which makes a busy day for Santa.

Turnout for the events is largely contingent on weather, but for the past three years, the number of people attending the tree lighting continues to grow.

“I expect that trend to continue,” said Polzien, “particularly with the fabulous women’s choir Noteworthy performing a brief program for the event.”