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Lights are brightly shining in 'Christmas Town, USA'

MCADENVILLE, N.C. — Spirits are bright, and so are the the thousands of lights now shining throughout “Christmas Town, USA.”

It's officially the holiday season for McAdenville after the city’s annual Christmas celebration kicked off Friday night.

[RELATED: McAdenville lights up as Christmas Town USA on Friday]

Thousands are expected to drive through Main Street throughout the month of December.

North Carolina Department of Transportation officials will be on hand through Dec. 26 to make sure traffic runs smoothly.

"It's a lot of fun seeing all the lights and all the people,” passerby Jordyn Kelly said.

Last year, 600,000 people visited the normally quiet town of McAdenville to see festive light displays.

The holiday tradition has been going strong for 62 years, and has become a tradition for many families.

“I came when I was really little, when I was his age, and now I'm so excited to share it with my family,” passerby Heather Spencer said.

It's one of the top Christmas attractions in North Carolina and it is free for everybody.

“I'm very happy to see it and I'm very happy to see Santa Claus,” passerby Hunter Timmons said.

The light display brings unusually heavy traffic through the small town, and along I-85 near the exit.

Lights will shine every night through Dec. 26.

NCDOT officials will have message boards on I-85 to let drivers know the ramp from I-85 North to exit 23 will be closed nightly.