For many in Ironton the Christmas season isn’t official until it is time for the annual Church Walk, sponsored by the Lawrence County Historical Society.

As is the tradition the walk will start at 5 p.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Ironton with the Rev. Dennis Strawn greeting the first participants.

“This is a wonderful way to start the Christmas season,” Strawn said. “I look at it as everybody is a pilgrim. They are walking from different houses of worship. They get a sense and the history of each of the congregations as well as the importance of the season with Christ coming to us.”

There will be eight churches on the walk that takes about two and a half to three hours. Besides First Baptist, the other churches are Christ Episcopal, First Methodist, First Presbyterian, St. Paul, St. Lawrence, Gateway Baptist and Quinn Chapel. Each church offers a 10-minute presentation.

“Some tell the Christmas story and some the history and origin of their church,” Debbie Rogers, of the historical society, said. “Every year the crowd grows. Last year it was 250 or more. And we will be dressed in period costumes to lead the crowd.”

Along the way through the streets of downtown Ironton the Ohio University Southern Band will serenade the crowd with Christmas carols.

“It is something people look forward to,” the Rev. Jan Williams of First Presbyterian, said. “It is a way to share each church’s tradition and churches get to offer hospitality to the community.”

After the walk, all are invited to a reception at the museum, which is also offering concerts for the next three Sundays, until it closes for the season.

This Sunday will be “What’s Cooking With Granny,” a folk music ensemble from First Baptist. Dec. 9 will be the First Presbyterian Church Choir and Dec. 16 will be Brent Sanborne at the piano. All concerts start at 2 p.m.

After Dec. 16, the museum will close until April.