Nicosia municipality on Wednesday said that Makarios avenue will briefly close to traffic on Friday afternoon to host a Christmas event.

Specifically, the avenue will be closed to all vehicles from 6pm to 6.30pm, from its junction with Spyros Kyprianou avenue to its junction with Evagorou avenue.

During this time, cheerleaders from the Cypriot Drivers’ Association, the European University Philharmonic Orchestra, Santa Claus on a motorcycle from the Historical Motorcycle Museum and mascots will parade down Makarios avenue to mark the beginning of the Christmas season.

The parade will conclude at Eleftheria square, where the municipal children’s choir, the Charisma choir and Astrinideo conservatory choir will be singing alongside performers on stilts.

At 6.30pm, mayor Constantinos Yiorkadjis will light the Christmas tree, followed by a concert by Michalis Hadjiyiannis at 7pm.

The municipality added that Christmas parades down the length of Makarios avenue will also take place on the weekend of December 10 and 11 from 5pm to 8pm, and will therefore be closed to traffic during this time.