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| Photos by Kevin Hoffman
The crowd moves into F Street Friday after the Parade of Lights as people head toward Holiday Park, open businesses and Salida SteamPlant. Organizer Vickie Vigil said she is uncertain how many people attended, but estimated “thousands.” |
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Parade of Lights draws 32 entries, 'thousands'
Kevin Hoffman
Mail Staff Writer
Revelers estimated at 4,000 to 5,000 gathered shoulder to shoulder along F Street Friday to watch the largest Parade of Lights staged so far in Salida.
The parade included 32 holiday themed entries. Recent years, officials said, have attracted about 25 floats and marching entries.
Vickie Vigil, Salida Business Alliance president, estimated the crowd "in the thousands." At some points along the parade route spectators stood 6 or 7 deep between curb and building fronts.
Vigil, an organizer for more than 20 years, said, "The weather was just wonderful. Two years ago it was so cold we were worried no one would show up," she said.
The parade climaxed with the special appearance of Santa Claus who once unsuccessfully flipped the switch to light the Christmas tree outlining Tenderfoot Mountain.
Santa fielded questions from youthful admirers while awaiting technical assistance. Then, using his "magic," he successfully transformed Tenderfoot Mountain into Christmas Mountain.
Fireworks erupted from atop the mountain and Holiday Park was illuminated.
Parade winners in five categories, were selected by a panel of judges.
Collegiate Peaks Bank won first place in the commercial category followed by Heart of the Rockies Regional Medical Center and Brady's West in third.
Salida High School cross country runners won first in the community category. Chaffee County Fair Royalty took second and the Living Waters Church entry was third.
In equestrian, Doolittle Ranch won first and Dave Potts took second.
First Christian won first in the float category followed by Salida Circus in second and Yogi Miller in third.
In the marching category Salida Artists won first, The Mountain Mail was second and Pooper Scooper took third.
After the parade SteamPlant personnel invited the crowd to an open house featuring jazz, hot chocolate and cookies and a production by Salida High School Drama Club members.
The parade is available for viewing at http://www.vimeo.com/7874313. Charles Newcomb posted the video. If playback errors occur, find the high definition icon and turn it off before running the video.
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