By Hugh Fisherhfisher@salisburypost.com

See a gallery of photos here.

CONCORD ó In Cabarrus County, folks don’t have to wait for Christmas to see Santa Claus come to town.
The 81st annual Concord Christmas Parade filled the streets of the city for hours with lights, music and holiday spirit with a local flavor.
Newcomers and lifelong parade-goers alike lined downtown streets, especially Union Street outside shops and near the old courthouse, to see the festivities.
Jason Handler moved to Concord with his family earlier this year from Columbia, S.C.
“We love it,” Handler said, as his daughters, Molly and Lilly, took seats with their grandparents and cousins along Union Street.
Susan Birchfield, Handler’s mother-in-law, said the annual parade is a must-see.
“Camaraderie!” she said. “Look at this crowd.”
For many, as Birchfield observed, the parade is an all-day family event.
“You go out and see all the people you know,” she said.
And many come back from where they now live just to see their old hometown’s parade.
“I was brought up here,” said Jennifer Stegall, who watched from Union Street across from the downtown library with husband Jeffery and kids Sara and Jacob.
Their other son, Donald, rode in the parade with the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Department Explorers.
Jeffery had his video camera at the ready to capture that moment.
“We live in Cabarrus County now, toward Rockwell, but we come back to see the parade,” Jennifer said.
This year’s parade included 187 entries, including Santa Claus, who passed the courthouse about 5:30 p.m., when the glittering lights on downtown trees and lampposts were already lit.
But though kids almost all said Santa was the main attraction (other than cotton candy) at the parade, many Concord natives had another sight in mind.
“I want to see the bell!” said Jennifer Stegall.
Concord High School’s football team won the annual match against A.L. Brown and the right to ring the bell loudly all the way down the road.
Cameras flashed and people cheered about as loudly for the bell as they did for Santa himself.
Nine marching bands participated, including the Husky Vanguard Marching Band from Ashe County High School in West Jefferson.
They traveled about 120 miles from home to march in Saturday’s parade.