Portales parade to kick off season

PORTALES — It might not be the most wonderful time of the year without a parade.

Portales will take care of that tonight with its 31st annual Christmas Light Parade.

The parade — a way to “kick off the season with a really fun event the kids can get into,” according to Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Karl Terry — begins at 6:30 p.m. at the Recreation Center and ends at the C&S auto parts store, dropping off a special passenger at the square downtown.

“Santa will be at the tail end of the parade, and we’ll let him get off at the square and talk with kids. If they’re downtown and want to tell Santa what they want for Christmas, he’ll be getting off and staying on the square as long as the kids are down there,” Terry said.

The square will also host live entertainment from the Portales High School choir before the event at 6:15 p.m., complete with hot drinks and cookies provided by the Pregnancy Resource Center.

Terry said attendees can expect the parade floats to be decorated to the nines by businesses, organizations, and community members.

“It’s very much a local parade, and it’s an opportunity to get creative in a little different way. You can use those lights on the floats and vehicles to really get creative. We have some that go over the top,” he said.

The chamber will judge floats in three categories — business, non-profit, and church — and announce the winners on its Facebook page shortly after the parade. Each winner will receive a plaque at the chamber’s Christmas open house on Dec. 19, according to Terry.

The light parade is an opportunity for families to “load the kids in the car, get them all bundled up, and go watch the parade,” he said.

“I like being able to come down on the square and visit with people and watch the excitement of the kids as they hear those police vehicles coming down the highway and they know the parade’s about to come.”

Participants are encouraged to register their floats on http://www.portales.com, or by calling 575-356-8541, but Terry said they are welcome to simply come to the parade line up at the Recreation Center at 6 p.m.