Strike up the band! The official start of the holiday season will get underway when the 16th annual "Miracle On 136th Street Parade" marches in to The Falls in Miami today from 4pm until 10pm.

See local marching bands, bag pipers, stilt walkers, a junkanoo band, Brazilians dancers, a Dixieland Band, local dignitaries, costumed characters, celebrities and more. Culminating with the arrival of Santa, the "Miracle On 136th Street Parade" promises to be one of the biggest spectacles of the holidays.

Free and open to the public, the Parade benefits the YMCA of South Dade.

Following the Parade, the lights of the season will come aglow at The Falls as hundreds of thousands of lights that showcase giant animal topiaries and elaborate water elements will illuminate the shopping center’s gardens and waterfalls. Santa will also take up residence and be available for photos in Center Court at the Santa House, which will remain open until early January. There also will be three stages of post-parade entertainment.