The Manteca Historical Society Museum will have a bonanza of blockbuster attractions this weekend.

On Saturday, Dec. 3, the society and museum will be represented in the annual Manteca Twilight Christmas Parade with a nostalgic float entry honoring the late Sadie Cabral and the 75th anniversary of the beauty salon that she started. The theme of the float is Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer, with the familiar and beloved Christmas character taking center stage on the float.

Several employees of Sadie’s Styling Salon have been decorating the float this week inside the museum annex. The scene depicted is that of a cozy seating arrangement in front of a fireplace with the mantel decorated with heart-warming traditional items.

About a dozen Sadie’s employees are all taking turns putting in talents, treasure and time to put together the parade entry. Hanging the lights and decorating the mantel Wednesday afternoon were Lisa Harp, Rochelle Morgan and her daughter Rikki Hansen, and “Santa’s hopper” Mitch Zotti.

Morgan has been working at Sadie’s “back and forth” for 35 years and recalls that the late owner of the longest-running business of its kind in Manteca and elsewhere was, at one time, a Christmas Parade Grand Marshal.

“But I don’t think we’ve ever been in the Christmas parade,” she said.

And, as she is finding out, “It’s fun,” she said of the decorating experience.

“It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it,” because it’s in honor of a woman who has done so much for the community, Morgan added.

Her daughter, Rikki Hansen, who has been mostly coordinating the float-decorating effort, has been working at Sadie’s for nearly four years. “She’s a second-generation hairdresser” in the family, her mother pointed out.

Hansen said there will be probably a dozen Sadie’s employees on the float. “We have 16 (on staff) but I don’t know if all of them will be there,” she said.

After Saturday’s twilight parade, the public is invited to the annual open house at the Manteca Historical Museum on Sunday, Dec. 4. The event will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Offered will be museum tours plus finger foods, wine, coffee, and warm cedar. The gift shop also will be open for those who wish to jump-start their Christmas shopping or simply to buy a trinket for themselves.

There will be holiday music to serenade visitors. Adding to the nostalgic holiday theme will be the museum docents dressed in period costumes.

The Memorial Building which houses the museum’s various collections of antique farm equipment and tools will be open on Sunday as well to visitors. Docents will be on hand to talk about the exhibits.

Admission is free. For further details, call the museum at (209) 825-3021.