After a pandemic year off, the high-energy Holiday Express concert and Town Light-Up is slated to return to downtown Red Bank Friday night. 

Attendees will want to bundle up for what looks to be a seasonally appropriate chilly and breezy event.

Below, bandleader Tim McLoone in 2016. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Last year’s event, which would have been the 28th annual, was cancelled over COVID-19 health concerns.

The giant band led by Tim McLoone is scheduled to take the stage at Broad and Canal streets for its customary feel-good program of Christmas tunes. At 8 p.m., a switch gets thrown to illuminate some 150,000 tiny light bulbs.

As of Friday morning, the weather appears suited to the event, as morning rain is expected to end around noon, with zero chance at showtime, according to the Weather Channel. Temperatures are expected to drop to about 40 degrees, with blustery winds.

Here’s the National Weather Service outlook through the weekend:

Friday
Showers likely, mainly before noon. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Breezy, with a west wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, with a low around 27. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 42. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph.
Saturday NightIncreasing clouds, with a low around 29. West wind 5 to 10 mph.
Sunday
A slight chance of snow showers before 10am, then a slight chance of rain showers between 10am and 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 45. West wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Sunday Night
A slight chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

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