Annual Parade of Lights casts its spell on downtown Denver Read more: Annual Parade of Lights casts its spell on downtown Denver
The Denver Post | Yesenia Robles
A whole carload of clowns frolicked as the parade got under way Friday night. The annual Parade of Lights filed past the illuminated City and County building in downtown Denver Friday night, November 30. 2012. (Karl Gehring / The Denver Post)
Watching the annual 9News Parade of Lights helps put the city in the holiday spirit, but actually being part of the parade is a more exhilarating way to jump into the season.
"I have not been feeling much in the holiday spirit â€" especially because it hasn't been cold â€" but being here, putting on the elf costume ... then when Santa walked by, forget about it. I can't wait to go home and wrap Christmas presents," said Jan Von Stein, a volunteer elf who got to be on a float for the first time this year.
"It's like being a kid again."
Von Stein was one of nearly 2,000 participants and volunteer staff members for the 38th annual parade.
The parade, also featuring more than 276,000 lights, 710 pounds of
glitter, five giant balloons and 12 parade floats, crusied through downtown Friday night and will again light up the city at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Another volunteer, Fred Lautenbach, owner of Lautenbach Insurance in Littleton, is participating for the second year, this time on the Toy Box Friends float, after having such a good time last year, he said.
"We had so much fun interacting with the people as you move by, and seeing the expression on people's faces. I mean, it's electrifying," Lautenbach said. "This year we brought more people from our office."
Seven new groups joined the parade this year including the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Guard, employees from Denver International Airport, and Donate Life Colorado who along with Donor Alliance, have sponsored a new "Gift of Life" balloon to promote organ donation.
Read more
{Register to be an organ,eye and tissue donor. To learn how, www.donatelife.net or www.organdonor.gov}
A whole carload of clowns frolicked as the parade got under way Friday night. The annual Parade of Lights filed past the illuminated City and County building in downtown Denver Friday night, November 30. 2012. (Karl Gehring / The Denver Post)
Watching the annual 9News Parade of Lights helps put the city in the holiday spirit, but actually being part of the parade is a more exhilarating way to jump into the season.
"I have not been feeling much in the holiday spirit â€" especially because it hasn't been cold â€" but being here, putting on the elf costume ... then when Santa walked by, forget about it. I can't wait to go home and wrap Christmas presents," said Jan Von Stein, a volunteer elf who got to be on a float for the first time this year.
"It's like being a kid again."
Von Stein was one of nearly 2,000 participants and volunteer staff members for the 38th annual parade.
The parade, also featuring more than 276,000 lights, 710 pounds of
glitter, five giant balloons and 12 parade floats, crusied through downtown Friday night and will again light up the city at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Another volunteer, Fred Lautenbach, owner of Lautenbach Insurance in Littleton, is participating for the second year, this time on the Toy Box Friends float, after having such a good time last year, he said.
"We had so much fun interacting with the people as you move by, and seeing the expression on people's faces. I mean, it's electrifying," Lautenbach said. "This year we brought more people from our office."
Seven new groups joined the parade this year including the U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet Honor Guard, employees from Denver International Airport, and Donate Life Colorado who along with Donor Alliance, have sponsored a new "Gift of Life" balloon to promote organ donation.
Read more
{Register to be an organ,eye and tissue donor. To learn how, www.donatelife.net or www.organdonor.gov}
Comments
Post a Comment