Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade

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The 18th Annual Palm Springs Festival of Lights Parade had more than 80,000 people lined up along the 1 1/4 mile route through Downtown Palm Springs. It began as a way to bring people into Downtown to help the shops and restaurants and simply became a tradition.

The parade is hosted by Parades of Palm Springs, a non-profit organization that raises funds for local children's charities. They receive most of their funding from the parade's entrance fees. This year, however, things were different. "This year, we waived that entry fee because of the hard economic times. We were trying to help people out, because it does cost a lot of money to decorate their unit," says Rachel Hanson, the Director of Parades of Palm Springs.

Antique fire trucks are decked out in lights. Many come back year after year, including the owner of a CSFA Steamer, Dave Hubert. "This is our fifth time, and we absolutely enjoy it. As a matter of fact, this is just as good as the Rose Parade. The people here are so nice, so easy to get along with, the weather is always perfect," he says.

Besides fire apparatus, the parade included beauty queens, including Miss Festival of Lights and her court, and marching bands. Antique fire trucks always draw cheers from the crowd. A 1959 Crown Pumper had seats added to the back for children to sit on, and Palm Springs' first and second fire engines also made an appearance. Perhaps the most anticipated participant each year, though, is the John Deere Big Rig Tonka Toy, covered in miles of lights.



Author:Barbara Brooks - FDNNTV.com