CHARLESTOWN, Ind. —

This Friday, one of the biggest Christmas events in the Louisville area returns with Light Up Charlestown.

The annual event, which runs from Black Friday through Dec. 22, features light displays in Greenway Park, shopping and visits with Santa at the Family Fun Park, and an LED light show in the town square.

According to Charlestown Mayor Treva Hodges, they will get about 70,000 visitors over the next three weeks, and that means good things for local businesses.

See a full schedule of Charlestown Christmas City events here.

"It's huge. One of our local businesses told us that the first Christmas they were open, they saw a 40% increase in sales," Hodges said.

The lighting of the tree will happen at 6 p.m. on Friday.

New this year is a trolley hop that will transp

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