ARLINGTON – Snow came a little earlier to Arlington than the rest of the Puget Sound.

OK, well it wasn’t snow, it was 1,000 ping pong balls, but the Arlington chamber of commerce called them snowballs.

The ping pong balls were dropped from the top of a fire truck ladder Saturday as part of the city’s Hometown Holidays festival.

Participants stood at the bottom of the drop and caught the ping pong balls. They had purchased a certain number of them prior to the drop for $1 each.

Dan Bliven of the chamber said if there was a number on it, it could be exchanged for a prize. Downtown merchants offered prizes, including items in their stores for free or a reduced cost of up to 50 percent off. If there was no number, the ping pong ball could be exchanged for candy.

The goal was to raise money for the chamber and also encourage participants to shop downtown.

Mayor Barb Tolbert said it was the first year for the Snowball Drop, and it was a great success.

She added that the city and merchants made downtown look especially in the holiday spirit this year. The city maintenance crew put lights up on the tall poles, and merchants put more lights in their storefronts, thanks to the America’s Best Communities merchandizing program.

Tolbert said the turnout for the event always is good, even when it rains. But this year’s turnout was huge, as the rain held off.

“I prayed for one day without rain, please,” she said, adding the region has been inundated with it the past few months.

Olympic Avenue was packed with people seven deep in some areas for the annual Christmas Parade.

It wasn’t just locals at the event. Claire, Jack and Luke Collins came from Camano Island.

“We always love the parade,” Claire said, adding there isn’t one in her community.

Luke said he was looking forward to talking to Santa, who arrived at the end of the parade in a horse-drawn wagon.

“I want lots of presents,” Luke said.

The Collinses were dressed in holiday apparel, as were Alexah and Maddex Prosser of Arlington and many others. Many of the entries in the parade threw candy out to the kids, to their enjoyment.

The parade featured goats dressed up in Christmas outfits, along with other animals, including dogs and a horse, and also church groups, drill teams, scout troops and antique cars and tractors.

The action moved to Legion Park once the parade ended. Santa passed out candy canes from the stage before settling in under the gazebo for pictures. A grade school choir sang, and the city Christmas tree lights were plugged in. An Arlington High School singing group was honored as the best act in the parade.

Teresa Welter of Arlington won the Sweater Contest. She spent a lot of time making it last year, but then was a little late for the contest.

“This year I was determined to make it,” she said, adding she was there at 11 a.m.

For her efforts, she won a huge candy bar.

“I’ll probably use it as a Christmas gift,” she said with a big smile.