Burke County will feature Christmas parades this week as various cities and towns kick off the holiday season. Tonight at 6, the City of Morganton will hold their annual Christmas Parade titled "A Christmas Story". The parade will be held rain or shine. Just before the parade at 5:30, the combined Burke County Public School High Bands will perform on the grounds of the Old Burke Courthouse to promote their trip to Pearl Harbor about a year from now. On Thursday, the J.Iverson Riddle Developmental Center will hold their 41st annual parade with the theme of Christmas Trees and Memories. Gates on the campus close at 2:30, with the parade beginning at 3. Benton Blount will be the Grand Marshal of this year's Valdese Christmas Parade set for Saturday morning at 10. Then at 1PM Saturday, Glen Alpine will hold their Christmas Parade featuring the Freedom High band and a variety of firetrucks and emergency vehicles.

Filing opens at Noon today at the Burke County Board of Elections Office on South Sterling Street. Local offices open are : Three seats with four year terms each on the Burke County Commission, Register of Deeds, NC State House 86th District and NC State Senate District 46. Filing period runs through Noon Monday December 21st. The NC Primary has been moved up to March 15th. Previous primaries were held in May. Filing also begins at Noon today in Caldwell, Catawba and McDowell Counties.