| Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade |
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 Saturday, December 5, 2009Down Town Palm Springs Palm Springs, California Story and photos by Denise Ortuno Neil For more Denise Ortuno Neil photos of the Palm Springs Festival of Lights, click here. From the looks of it, on Saturday, Dec. 5, in Palm Springs, people appeared as if they were going to a major outdoor sporting event or a huge parade. Hundreds of people made the pilgrimage to Palm Canyon Drive carrying chairs, blankets and often small, bundled-up children. As it turned out, they were going to a huge parade, as was I — the much-anticipated annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade.  They got there early to settle in at good viewing spots. For a parade that started at 5:45 p.m., people were already homesteading at 4 p.m. Parking was a challenge and some spectators, such as I, had to park at an uncomfortable distance away. Once arrival at the parade site was complete, there was a true essence of the holiday season all around. People lined the streets with chairs, finding a spot wherever they could. Others opted to hang out at one of the many restaurants and cafes that sprinkle Palm Canyon Drive to partake in a flavorful meal or a warm beverage.One of the best accessories of the night was the cold temperature. It gave locals and tourists alike a real taste of winter and a respite from our picture-perfect, and sometimes, mundane weather. Although I could barely feel my fingers or my nose, I too, reveled in the cold brisk air. I didn’t know where to cement myself at first. A strong part of me wanted to duck into a cozy café and get some heat from the interior and a cockle-warming martini, but I had a job to do. So instead, I stayed in the trenches. I decided to search for a good vantage point from which to view all of the floats. But it turned out that there would be more than one place for me to report from, so I bounced around a bit and finally settled on Arenas Road where a nice man allowed me to share a standing spot on a planter.  The parade got underway with a flurry of fire trucks, all dazzled up in shimmering lights. The Palm Springs High School Marching Band soon followed with a tempo perfect performance. Indio High School and Coachella Valley High School also entertained the crowd with their marching bands. What followed was a procession of horses, people and a variety of floats all adorned and glistening with lights, as children sat on their parents shoulders to have a better view of it all. The parade came to a close with an awesome ruckus finale. An absolutely luminescent tractor trailer donning two huge American Flags came dancing down Palm Canyon Drive to the song, “Let's Twist again,” hauling a load of happy floatgoers doing the same. The tractor would actually stop and do a jig for the onlookers, inspiring hoots and hollers from everyone. It was a true party and a wonderful kick off to this magical time of year.Happy Holidays everyone, and a very happy and prosperous New Year! For more Denise Ortuno Neil photos of the Palm Springs Festival of Lights, click here. | |||||||
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