The annual downtown holiday parade and tree lighting festivals in Auburn and Lewiston will be held Wednesday night, and motorists should expect to encounter traffic congestion.

The parade begins in Auburn at 6 p.m., marching to Festival Plaza on Main Street before heading over the Longley Bridge and on to Courthouse Plaza on Lisbon Street. The event is expected to last a couple of hours, and will incorporate horse-drawn wagon rides and a visit with Santa.

A portion of Court Street in Auburn, extending across the Longley Bridge, will be closed to traffic during the procession. Police encourage motorists to detour around the downtown areas, using either the Bernard Lown Peace Bridge in New Auburn, or the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Bridge on outer Main Street in Lewiston. Detours will be set up for traffic during the event.

The Lewiston municipal parking lot and garage at Park and Oak streets will be open and accessible using the Ash Street entrance near the post office. A few area businesses will be briefly impacted during this event, so patrons should plan ahead for delays.

A section of Lisbon Street and a section of Park Street will be closed to through traffic during the event to accommodate pedestrians.