The holiday spirit will soon be on display, when the 22nd annual San Jose Holiday Parade takes over the streets of downtown San Jose.

On Dec. 7, the parade will begin its march on Santa Clara Street and Delmas Avenue, near the HP Pavilion, at 8:30 a.m. It will continue heading east on Santa Clara Street, turn right on Market Street, march south past Plaza De Cesar Chavez Park, and finally end at San Carlos Street.

The parade will also be televised for those who would rather view the event from home, beginning at 9 a.m. on NBC 11.

The parade, themed "Once Upon a Time," will feature marching bands, creative floats, dozens of specialty units, popular children's cartoon characters and Santa Claus. There will also be more than 500 marchers, giant soaring helium balloons, drill teams, equestrians and special guest celebrities.

The San Jose Holiday Parade is the largest parade of its kind in Northern California and one of the largest in the state.

For more information on how to volunteer for the parade, call the City of San Jose Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services, Marketing and Events office at 408.277.3303.

Citizens can become involved with the city

Willow Glen residents interested in making a difference in the community now have an opportunity to do so. San Jose District 2 County Supervisor Blanca Alvarado is currently seeking candidates for various board and commission positions.

There is a wide range of vacancies, including positions on the Airports Commission, Assessment Appeals Board, Child Abuse Council, Correctional Industries Advisory Board, Domestic Violence Council, Human Relations Commission, The Mental Health Board, Parks and Recreation Commission and the Senior Care Commission. The deadline to submit an application is Dec. 19.

For more information about the positions or to obtain an application, call Javier Aguirre, senior policy aide to Supervisor Alvarado, at 408.299.5020 or visit www.blancaalvarado.org and go to the Boards and Commissions section.