by Kristen Kauffman
Albuquerque calls it their Twinkle Light Parade. Sacramento calls it their Holiday Parade of Lights. St. George has a Christmas Light Parade, and Tacoma has an Electrical Light Parade. Many cities all over the country have Christmas parades at night, including the APS Electric Light Parade held in Phoenix every year since the late ‘80s.
In 1996 the Prescott Chamber of Commerce decided that Prescott should have a light parade, as well. The Daily Courier newspaper announced the first event, explaining:
“Downtown lights will be darkened on Nov. 30 as the first annual Electric Light Parade moves around the Courthouse Plaza to kick off this year’s holiday season in Prescott. Unlike a usual parade, an electric light parade is held at night, and floats are decorated with lights. A workshop, which is open to anyone interested in the parade, will be held… at Fire Station 72. Diane Deutsch, owner of a company called Festive Fantasy in Phoenix, will speak and offer instruction on how to build an electric light float. Awards will be given for floats in various categories. Pre-parade activities will include carolers, and non-profit organizations will sell refreshments.”
Today when you attend the Light Parade downtown, there is music playing and there may still be non-profit organizations selling hot drinks. Another common feature of the event are vendors selling glow sticks of various kinds. For the first Light Parade, Prescott City Council advertised for performers for a pre-show: “The Prescott Holiday Light Parade planned for Nov. 30 is looking for small groups of street performers of all ages to entertain around the Courthouse Plaza before the parade starts. Groups of carolers, instrumentalists, puppeteers and clowns are being recruited.”
The Light Parade was originally under the auspices of the Chamber of Commerce when it began in 1996. Since the Prescott Downtown Partnership was established in 1999 they have taken stewardship over the Light Parade and the Bonfire Festival.
According to Flagstaff’s Daily Sun, November 27th, 1996, organizers of the first parade encouraged “entries from all over Arizona” to participate. The inaugural Light Parade had 30 parade entries, and the number of entries since then has not exceeded 40. As part of the parade entry requirements, no float is permitted to feature a Santa Claus, as the sponsored Santa (this year sponsored by APS) is the last float and the star of the show. Unlike many other parade traditions in Prescott, horses are not allowed for evening parades, and parade entries are encouraged to cover their floats with at least 60% lights. To garner interest in the first parade, The Daily Courier highlighted short articles or cutlines of several entries leading up to the event which included a photo of band teacher Paul Manz at Granite Mountain Middle School proudly displaying lights donated by Landrew Development, and a shot of Greg Nordyke from the Prescott Police Department decorating a 100-year-old sleigh. The day before the parade, The Daily Courier also featured a photo of firefighters Allen Snyder and Tony Reed standing on a fire department ladder to hang strings of Christmas lights on a tree outside of City Hall in preparation for the event.
Initially in 1996, there was no Bonfire Festival afterward. In 2016 the Prescott Downtown Partnership started offering a bonfire on the field of Mile High Middle School. Now that the after party is part of the parade, all judging takes place while the parade floats are parked and while onlookers view them, roast some s’mores by the bonfire and listen to Christmas music.
Prescott’s own Holiday Light Parade tradition continues this year, taking place Saturday, November 30 beginning at 6:00 p.m.
“Days Past” is a collaborative project of the Sharlot Hall Museum and the Prescott Corral of Westerners International (www.prescottcorral.org). This and other Days Past articles are also available at www.archives.sharlothallmuseum.org/articles/days-past-articles/1 The public is encouraged to submit proposed articles and inquiries to dayspast@sharlothallmuseum.org Please contact SHM Research Center reference desk at 928-277-2003, or via email at archivesrequest@sharlothallmuseum.org for information or assistance with photo requests.