Float participation was up at this year’s Lights On Parade,
making it hard for judges to pick the five best entries.
The Hollister Downtown Association, the event organizer, only
accepts 40 float entries. This year, the parade was full with a
waiting list in case of cancellations, said Liz Kresky, executive
director of HDA.
Float participation was up at this year’s Lights On Parade, making it hard for judges to pick the five best entries.
The Hollister Downtown Association, the event organizer, only accepts 40 float entries. This year, the parade was full with a waiting list in case of cancellations, said Liz Kresky, executive director of HDA.
“We want to keep the parade at an OK length for the kids since it is a kid-oriented event. They can get a little antsy,” Kresky said.
There was also an increase in attendance compared to last year. Although there is no official count, HDA officials agree numbers were well into 20,000, giving the floats a good-sized audience.
“Participation was definitely up. The quality of this year’s floats was great,” Kresky said.
There are five categories of awards for floats – winners receive a certificate of recognition and $50.
Best of Parade went to Kings Cleaning Service. The group’s float featured long, white pillars with flowers made out of tissues and a bubble machine that represented snow.
This is Kings’ third year in the parade. Tony King Jr. said designing and decorating the float has become a family tradition.
“We have five families working on this,” King said. “Our family is so much like oxygen to us. It’s become a family get-together, a family tradition.”
King got the idea for the pillars from the Macy’s parade, he said. The bubble machine idea came from a trip to Disneyland. There were about 4,000 tissue flowers on the float. The float was a culmination of 30 to 35 people and five days of work, King said.
The float’s design was “Let it Snow.” Kids involved with the project sang the song and that version was played as the float cruised down San Benito Street.
Fairview 4-H won for Best Use of Lighting for its “Elves in Motion.”
The parade’s theme was “Holiday Music on Parade.” The winner of Best Use of Theme was Greenwood Chevrolet. Float participants dressed up like Santa’s nine reindeer while “Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer” played as the float cruised down the street.
The American Cancer Society received honors for Best Nonprofit entry. Participants walked down the street carrying signs and the total raised from the organization’s Relay for Life event. The entry also used lights and Relay for Life’s signature purple.
Elvis took home the gold for Community Bank’s Best Commercial float. The King of Rock gyrated to “Blue Christmas.”
The parade’s judges were artist Shannon Grissom, designer Francene Markel and photographer Pablo Balancio.
Awards were also handed out to Best Window winner Timber & Textiles and Best Decorative Christmas Tree winner Santa Ana 4-H.
The display windows at Timber & Textiles are adorned with shopping bags and lit up trees.
Participants with Santa Ana 4-H hand-painted ornaments on their tree. Various groups decorated Christmas trees to give to families in need for Christmas. Bourdet’s donated the 25 trees.
