HATFIELD — A float competition is being added to the annual Luminarium, which as is customary in recent years will be held on Dec. 21, the last Saturday prior to Christmas Eve.

The town’s Celebration Committee is inviting people to pre-register through Dec. 19 via an online Google form, accessible through its Facebook page, to design and create a float. Those floats will then be brought to Smith Academy for judging for most festive and creative, from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. at the Luminarium.

After the judging, the floats will proceed to the center of Hatfield, where they will be parked on Main Street in front of Memorial Town Hall in advance of the holiday program at 6 p.m.

Those with the three winning floats will receive gift cards donated by local businesses and a trophy.

Though the drought-like conditions in the region have receded some, the Hatfield Fire Department and Celebration Committee jointly announced in November that fireworks would not be part of this year’s Luminarium.

Other events, though, will go on as usual.

From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., the First Congregational Church hosts the Luminarium Concert, and a free children’s book giveaway and holiday crafts and refreshments will be at the Hatfield Library from 5 to 6 p.m.

Candlelit bags and containers, which gives the Luminarium its name, will line the streets around 5:30 p.m.

Greetings and caroling by the Smith Academy Band and arrival of Santa Claus happen around 6 p.m., all from the steps of Memorial Town Hall.

Meanwhile, the Smith Academy Winter Concert & Art Show is being held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. at Smith Academy’s Sherry A. Webb Gymnasium. The event will also feature a local restaurant gift card raffle and bake sale goodies, with all proceeds benefiting the school’s visual and performing arts programs.

The various seasonal events come after the first holiday tree lighting at Smith Academy Park, held last weekend and sponsored by the Council on Aging, featuring holiday music by Jimmy Mazz and an appearance from Santa.

— SCOTT MERZBACH