There’s no doing things small in Port Orchard.

As is the case with Fathoms O’ Fun, Port Orchard’s Festival of Chimes & Lights is a big celebration — the largest holiday festival in Kitsap County, according to organizers.

“Thousands and thousands of people come from all over,” said Jerry Childs, the city’s retiring City Council member, who’s been helping with the festival since 2008. “It’s grown every year since it started in 1998.”

It was then, according to committee chairwoman Cindy Lucarelli, that folks in town wanted to celebrate the city’s new town hall building. In December of that year, the chimes in the clock tower were installed and everyone thought it would be a good way to show them off — by having a celebration of the chimes.

When it was decided that the festival would include lighting a holiday tree, supporters came up with the name “Chimes & Lights.”

And every year since, the city has hosted an all-day event on the first Saturday in December. This year, the 17th annual Chimes & Lights will be from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 5, in downtown Port Orchard.

“In the first years, it was more about lighting the tree and setting off fireworks,” Childs said. “Santa arrived on the Carlisle II and waved to the kids from the boat.”

As the years passed, more events have been added, and now, Santa arrives on an antique fire engine.

“There just wasn’t enough room down by the water for all the kids,” Childs said. “And we wanted things to be hands-on. So now, Santa can actually visit with the kids.”

Because the aim was for more involvement from the crowd, organizers also decided to do away with the fireworks, and added a big marching band — the South Kitsap High School Band.

“That band is something,” Childs said. “Having them just makes the home town pop. They are a gem in this community.”

Just about every nonprofit, community group, most businesses and churches all take part in the festival. The planning usually begins in June.

“This year, we didn’t start planning until after the 125th anniversary celebration in September,” Lucarelli said. “Everyone was just too busy.”

Each group sends a representative to the planning meetings. It’s there that the schedule gets set and decisions are made about adding new events or highlights to the festival.

“Then, each of us goes back and takes over whatever part they’re chairing,” Lucarelli said. She’s been involved for five years and this is her second year as chairwoman. Childs served as chairman for six years prior to that.

Adding new things is a way to keep the celebration fresh, Lucarelli said. “We want to draw people back again, year after year.”

Some of the favorite events of the day are the Jingle Bell Run, free holiday movies at the Dragonfly Cinema and seeing the lighted boats at the Port Orchard Marina.

Many local businesses also will decorate their windows to this year’s theme: “A Dickens of a Christmas.”

“We picked that theme to go along with this being Port Orchard’s 125th year,” Lucarelli said. “We’re going back in time to the days of Tiny Tim and ‘God Bless Us, Every One.’ ”

Stores will use red ribbons and greenery in their windows, along with possibly figurines of characters from “A Christmas Carol.” Participants are invited to attend in 1800-era costumes.

To set the holiday spirit, the 5K Jingle Bell Run & Walk will return. In its fifth year in Port Orchard, the event is a fundraiser for the Arthritis Foundation. The Jingle Bell Run begins at 11 a.m. with registration, a 12:30 p.m. costume contest, a 1 p.m. 1K run with the elves and a 1:30 p.m. 5K run along the waterfront.

From noon to 7 p.m., anyone can drop by the Dragonfly Cinema to see the movie “Elf.” It’s free and shows every hour.

At 4 p.m. near the Kitsap Bank drive-through, the Pooch and Purrs pet parade registration will open. Costumed pets will be paraded down Bay Street toward City Hall beginning at 4:30 p.m.

Throughout the day, there will be things for the kids to do at the Port Orchard Library.

Several crafting stations will be set up and there will be cookies and live music. All over downtown, church groups and others will have stands where participants can stop for chili, hot chocolate, coffee, cider and other treats.

“You can’t go hungry,” Lucarelli said. “Everybody’s handing out free food.”

There’s no doing things small in Port Orchard.