AUBURN - This year's annual Holiday Parade in downtown Auburn looks to be bigger than the last one, two organizers told city officials Thursday.

Connie Tallcot and Henry MacDonald from the Downtown Auburn Business Improvement District gave a presentation on the parade to the city council. During the talk, they noted that the BID-sponsored event has grown in the past years in a number of ways.

For one, Tallcot said, there are already 44 participants signed up, which is higher than last year's total. And that number can continue to grow, she said.

“We never turn anyone down (from the parade),” Tallcot said. “Even if they turn out that night.”

In its 22nd year, the parade will start at 6 p.m. Nov. 29, with free activities beginning at 3:30 p.m. for attendees of all ages. There will be a bonfire, refreshments, live music and a tree-lighting ceremony with Santa.

One other event that has grown this year is the wagon ride, Tallcot said. Instead of one horse-drawn wagon, there will be two.

All of these events will take place with or without the snow, she continued.

“Dress for the cold weather,” Tallcot said.

In other news:

#&149; Representatives from the City of Auburn Historic and Cultural Site Commissions presented a series of high school-level lesson plans focusing on local historic sites.

The lessons, according to Jennie Higgins, give area students a chance to learn about history while observing it themselves.

“When they can actually see history, they can absorb it much more easily,” Higgins told the councilors.

The lesson plans focus on local sites and figures such as Fort Hill Cemetery, William Seward, the Tubman Home and Willard Chapel. Each lesson includes information about the place or person, and tips on possible field trips.

#&149; City officials, including Mayor Michael Quill and City Manager Mark Palesh, thanked local citizens for participating in the comprehensive plan workshops this week.

A taped version of the later meeting, which was held Wednesday at Auburn Public Theater, will run on Time Warner Cable's public access channel. The workshop will run following the two weekly broadcasts of the city council meeting.

The first broadcast will be at 7 p.m. tonight, and the second at 7 p.m. Monday. Both will air on Channel 12.